Hellfire
by markovgirl
Summary: Yui has had enough of her treatment by the Sakamaki Brothers. Ayato has had enough of sharing. Shu doesn't really care. (M for language and explicit scenes.)
1. Chapter 1

It was the weekend, time away from school, so she had spent the evening sat in the chapel. She had stored a small stack of books within the building, just in case she could ever get five minutes to herself. Solitary time was a rarity these days, thanks to the six brothers who lived with her. Today, however, she had been alone for most of the night and had the time to finish a short novel. Yui shut the book and rested it in her lap, rolling her head back with a sigh. Rain was pelting the roof, creating a wonderful sound that echoed around the chapel. Peace, finally.

It had been a long day. Reiji was away on business, leaving the rest of the to run wild around the mansion. She had been woken by Kanato jumping on her bed, demanding that she play with him. 'Play-time' had turned out to be a vicious attack on her neck which had resulted in her having to throw away her bloodied night-gown and sheets. After breakfast, she had been intending to explore the rest of the house in the hopes of finding out more information on why her Father had sent her there, but bumped into Subaru in one of the upstairs corridors. He had pushed her roughly against the wall and drained her wrist until she screamed. Laito heard her cries for help and decided to join Subaru, pushing his fangs into a thick vein in her thigh. After moving their positions a number of times, littering her body with bite marks, they had dropped her to the floor and left her alone, light-headed and on the verge of being sick. Eventually, Shu walked past, eyes closed, music blaring from his headphones. Yui had raised a bloody hand and pleaded for his help, as she could barely stand and her vision was hazy. He simply walked past in silence. She couldn't believe the Sakamaki's lack of compassion. When she gathered enough strength to move, she had stumbled to the chapel straight away. She dreaded running into Ayato - his attacks were by far the most painful and she couldn't take anymore.

The brothers' treatment of her today was deplorable. She couldn't bear any more of this - for the first time in her life, anger was bubbling in her chest to the point of exploding.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the loud clang of the chapel clock. Midnight. Yui's heart pounded with the chimes. She was late for dinner! In the dark of the night it was near impossible to see any detail to the hulking black mass that was Sakamaki mansion but even from the shadowy outline, she knew it was gargantuan - a twisting maze of darkened corridors and expansive rooms. It was a short walk from the chapel to the porch but the sheer volume of rain falling from the sky caused Yui to be soaked to the skin by the time she arrived. Eager to get into the warmth of the house, she pushed on the ornate front door but found that it would not budge. This was not good at all! Nervously, she pressed her finger to the doorbell. A loud shriek echoed inside, yet, even after five minutes, no-one came to greet her. The brothers were definitely aware that she was on the estate, they had to be in! Eventually, Yui banged her fist against the shiny black door and found that it swung open upon impact.

Tentatively, she entered the hallway, finding it well lit and delightfully warm. After gently closing the door behind her, she walked further into the cavernous room. Two sweeping staircases lined the room, leading to a large landing that held three, dark green doors. To her left and right were two other rooms, one which looked like a sitting room, the other a large, open ballroom. The hallways stretched on and on in both directions, so far that she could only see darkness at either end. Straight in front of her was a small set of armchairs and numerous tables that were decorated with vases of lilies, whose scent lingered heavily in the air. The floor was a black and white chequered marble, and the majority of the walls were a deep emerald green, though a number were simply a shining mahogany - each was lined with paintings.

Yui closed the door gently behind her and began to wring the rainwater from her hair. As she removed her coat, she failed to notice the set of eyes that watched her from the darkness of the landing.

"Hey, Pancake."

Yui nearly jumped from her skin at the sound of another voice. She span back around to see a tall figure standing at the top of the staircase. Ayato Sakamaki, impeccably dressed in a dark jumper and dress trousers. His shock of messy red tendrils was even wilder than usual and his cat-like green eyes shone mischievously as he watched her. His trademark smirk was firmly set in place. He was leaning against the wooden bannister, bent at the waist with one hand stuck under his chin, as if he had been observing her for some time.

"Goodness! I'm sorry, I didn't see you there," she said, placing her coat on the stand next to the door. "Um, I'm sorry I'm late, please just let me-"

"Let you what?" the man replied, pushing himself off the bannister. He began to walk down the left staircase, never taking his eyes from her. He wore an odd expression - a friendly smile, with a strangely cold gaze. "You've already missed dinner, so you'll just have to go without tonight."

"I-I'm sorry, Ayato," Yui replied, frowning. She needed to eat, or else the brothers could do her serious damage - she would just have to sneak down to the kitchen later. The young man stood in front of her now, a little closer than she would have liked, in fact, his presence was a unnerving. "I suppose I will just go to my room, as dinner is over."

The man's smile seemed to widen and he caught hold of her arm as she tried to maneuver past him. "Not so fast, little girl. I'm thirsty."

"Get off me!" Yui snapped, tearing her arm away from him grasp. Ayato's mouth dropped open but she began to speak before he could. "Don't you dare touch me."

The red-head scowled and pushed her back against the front door. "How dare you speak to me like that? You have no right to deny me."

Yui glared at him as he caged her in between his arms. "I have every right to deny you. It's my blood, not yours."

"But-"

"No. No more of this," she said, voice low. She ducked under his arm and strode away from him, heading toward her room.

Ayato didn't move for a moment, still shocked by her sudden outburst. He shook his head and pushed himself away from the door, turning to watch her making her way up the stairs. "Yui! Get your ass back here now!"

The girl didn't reply, she ignored him completely and carried on up the stairs and down the hallway to her room. She let out an irritable sigh - blasted vampires! They assumed that because they were inhuman that they could be inhumane. Well not anymore, she had had enough!

As she opened the door to her room, she was not surprised to see Ayato standing in front of her bed. He was staring at her, eyes shining with anger and hands clenched at his side.

"Ayato, please, just go away," she said, bluntly.

His green eyes narrowed and he marched toward her, grabbing her shoulders in his hands. He leaned down to her level to look her dead in the eye. "Make me."

Yui flinched. She had never stood up for herself in this way before, but she was tired of being weak. Swiftly, she raised her hand and jabbed finger in his right eye. Immediately, he shot backward, hand flying to the assaulted area.

"Ow!" he yelped, rubbing his eye furiously. "What the fuck, Pancake?"

She moved around him and hurried to her dresser, quickly removing the knife gifted to her by Subaru. He had told her it would kill a vampire, so long as it was driven through the heart. She questioned her ability to kill Ayato, or any of the Sakamaki brothers, despite their mistreatment of her. Thou shalt not kill.

As her fingers clasped the silver knife, a low growl sounded behind her. Suddenly, an arm wound around her waist and she was flung to the bed, with Ayato's heavy weight straddling her middle. As he placed a cold hand around her throat, she raised the knife and leveled it at his chest, digging it in just enough to make him aware of its presence. The man stopped squeezing harder, but kept his hand in place. His gaze flicked down to the knife and he raised a brow in question.

"Now there's a surprise," he murmured, looking back at Yui. She stared back, eyes wide with fright. Her fingers were trembling, but she managed to keep a firm grip on the blade.

"Get off me," she ordered, voice shaking far more than she intended.

Ayato chuckled darkly and leaned forward. She gasped and quickly moved the blade back, frightened that he would pierce himself on its deadly point. He smirked at her reaction and cocked his head. "See. You would never be able to kill me, little girl."

"I-"

"Put the knife down," he demanded, smile dropping.

"What will happen if I do?" she whispered, terrified. If she let it go, he would surely do something dreadful, but he knew well that she could never kill him. Her courage was faltering.

Ayato grinned at her widely. He moved one of his hands toward the blade and gently pressed two fingers against the metal. Slowly, he pushed the knife down, until it rested flat on her stomach, at which point he clasped the handle and threw it to the floor.

"Now that's better, isn't it, Pancake?" he hissed, looking back at her. She raised her hands to push him off but he caught them swiftly in his own and pushed them either side of her head. "We always end up in this position, don't we?"

"Get off me Ayato," Yui replied, trying to twist her wrists out of his iron grip. "I mean it, get off!"

"And what are you going to do if I don't?" he snapped back at her, near spitting in her face. "We both know you aren't going to kill me and what else can you do? You are nothing compared to a vampire, Yui!"

He released one of her hands and moved it into her hair, tugging roughly on the blonde curls until the girl cried out in pain. With a grin, he lowered his mouth to her neck but paused when he noted four sets of fresh bite marks on her skin. He frowned and gripped her hair tighter, forcing her to look back at him. "How many times have you been bitten today? And by who? And where?"

"Why do you care?" she replied, holding back tears.

"Answer me."

"I don't know how many times. And by everyone in the house except for Shu," she said. Yui knew what was coming - either Ayato would find somewhere unblemished and feed from her, or he would grow angry thay anyone would dare to touch 'his property' and punish her for it.

Ayato's features settled into an blank expression. He was quiet for a moment, then leaned back and looked at her intently. "Take your clothes off."

Yui gaped at him incredulously. "What? No."

"I'm not going to touch you. I just want to see the damage. You can leave your underwear on," he replied, shortly.

"I'm not going to-"

"Look, either you can do it or I will," he threatened, folding his arms across his chest. He smirked at her and winked. "Not that I would mind that."

"Okay, fine! Just get off me so I can do it," she retorted, pushing his chest away from her. He complied with a chuckle and rolled off her to the other side of the bed.

"As you wish, Pancake."

Yui got to her feet and turned away from him, face flushing red with embarrassment. No man had ever seen her without her clothes on before and the thought turned her stomach. There was something else, mixed in with her feelings of shame, though she couldn't pinpoint what it was. It caused her heart to flutter and her hands began to shake. She shed her clothes quickly, leaving her modest, blue underwear in place, then turned back to him. He was lounging on the bed, feet crossed at the ankles and head propped up on one arm.

"There," she said, looking down at the ground. She placed one arm across her tummy, as if it would cover her.

Ayato grabbed her arm and pulled her back down onto the bed, despite her protests. His eyes raked over her body slowly, brow furrowing slightly whenever he came across a new bite mark. There was five from Kanato on her neck - he could tell by the scratches around the edges. Kanato's frantic behaviour meant that he never made a clean bite. Her wrists were covered in more from Subaru and Laito. With a frown, he noted that there were several on her thighs and stomach from those two. Anger clouded his vision as he looked at the marks.

"Ayato, stop, you're hurting me!"

He looked back at Yui's face and noticed her features twisted in pain. Without realising, he had been squeezing her thigh with his left hand and he quickly withdrew it. Normally, he would punish the girl for allowing his brothers to feast on her, but-

From her outburst earlier she clearly hadn't invited them to - she didn't want vampires anywhere near her. Nor was she in any position to stop them, no mere mortal would be able to. He leaned back and rested a hand on her knee. No, this was not her fault. He could make her suffer further, the idea certainly appealed to him.

"What would you do if I drank your blood now, Yui? Would you struggle?"

Yui sighed and looked away from him, her eyes dulling. "No, I wouldn't struggle. There's little point."

Ayato frowned - he enjoyed her fighting. "Then what would you do?"

She looked back at him and bluntly stated, "I would hate you."

Her response confused him slightly. As much as the scent of her blood called to him, as much as it was his right to take it - did he want Yui to hate him? He was shocked to find that the answer was no.

Yui stiffened as Ayato lowered his head to her neck, preparing herself for his fangs to enter her skin. Instead she felt his tongue lap at the wounds and she gasped at the sensation. "W-what are you doing?"

Ayato raised his head. "Vampire saliva helps heal fang wounds quickly. My brothers clearly didn't bother this afternoon."

"Oh."

Yui was confused. Never before had Ayato shown any care toward her - what was he intending to do? Was he healing her so he could drain her without killing her? His tongue left a cooling sensation behind on her skin, soothing the raw marks around her neck, then her collarbone. Surely he just wanted to remove the marks so that he could claim her completely as his own? Selfish, possessive bastard. A thousand possibilities ran through her head until -

"Ah!" she gasped, as his tongue ran over the inside of her thigh.

He paused and looked up at her, quirking an eyebrow. "What's the matter, Pancake? Did I hit a sensitive spot?"

"N-no, not at all, I was just surprised," she replied, steadying her breathing.

Ayato chuckled darkly and moved back down to her legs, sliding his tongue from her knee to mid-thigh. His hand gently stroked the other and he noted how she began to tremble. "Are you sure? Your skin is getting so heated. And I can hear your heart beating faster. Are you nervous?"

"Of course I'm nervous!' she replied, indignantly. "You're a vampire and-"

"It's not that though, is it Yui?" he smiled, voice smooth and sultry. The way he emphasized her name made butterflies rise in her stomach and she squirmed. He laughed again and moved up her leg to lap at the final bite mark, placed high on her inner thigh.

The girl could barely breathe as he lapped gently at the wound. Her mind was railing at the sensations Ayato was causing and her body relished in them. This wasn't right, he was her captor, her main tormentor - surely she should make him stop. But as much as she tried to push the words from her mouth, all that left was a guttural moan.

Immediately, she clapped a hand over her mouth, horrified. Ayato smirked into her skin and softly kissed the area he had just been licking.

"Do you want me to stop?" he asked, leaning back onto his heels.

"No!" she cried out, not wanting the feeling to disappear. As the vampire began to laugh, she shook her head and began to protest, ashamed of her reaction. "No, I mean, yes, I want you to-"

"Too late," he chirped, pulling her closer to him by hooking his hands under her knees. She started to speak, but was quickly silenced when he licked her lower stomach and trailed it down to her right hip.

"Ayato, what are you-"

"Just relax," he hummed against her skin.

Relax? Her muscles were tense - she was still ready to run from him if she needed to. Yui's heart pounded hard against her chest as he crawled up her body and laid down beside her. She turned her head to look at him and suddenly felt his lips press against hers. His lips were cold, but soft to the touch and he was uncharacteristically gentle. She relaxed, letting the pleasant feeling overtake her rationale.

Ayato pulled back and she could see his green eyes were hazy with desire. The butterflies in Yui's stomach threatened to burst from her skin when he leaned forward and began to place small kisses on her ear.

"I'm going to try something you won't have experienced before," he whispered, lips curving into a smirk. "I promise you'll enjoy it."

He captured her lips in a kiss again and raised one hand to her shoulder. Carefully, he stroked across her collarbone, eliciting a small sigh from Yui. She couldn't deny that she was enjoying the feeling of him stroking her body - each touch removed more tension from her body. His hand ran over her stomach and paused at the waistband of her underwear.

"You know," he began, tilting his head down. "These are far too plain."

"They are?" Yui replied. She let out a gasp as she felt his hand dip below the hem and smooth over the outside of her cunt. He moved his hand lower and slowly sunk his fingertip inside of her.

"Oh my," he chuckled, darkly, pressing his lips against her neck. "You are so wet for me."

Yui closed her eyes as he removed his finger and trailed it further upward, lightly grazing her clit. She let out a cry and couldn't stop her hips from jerking upwards. It was as if an electric current was running between his fingers and her skin and she couldn't help her body's reaction. Ayato began to draw lazy circles around her clit, whilst pressing rougher kisses against her neck. Her eyes opened when she felt his hand clasp around her chin. He turned her head to look at him and fixed her gaze.

"I want you to look at me when you come," he hissed, pressing his forehead against hers.

"I-I-" Yui stammered, unable to form words as pleasure tightened in her abdomen.

One hand moved to her hair, the other began moving faster and harder against her clit. "And say my name. I want you to say my name when you come for the first time."

Any previous gentleness had dissipated. His hand tugged on her hair until pain mixed with pleasure. His nimble fingers quickened. His mouth sucked and bit down on her skin, though never hard enough to tear. Eventually, the feeling growing inside of her escalated until -

"Oh, God," she cried, body trembling as an initial wave of pleasure rolled over her body. He tightened the hand in her hair.

"Say my name," he growled, close to her ear. "Say it!"

Yui opened her eyes and weakly stammered out, "A-Ayato!"

"Good girl," he murmured, as he pressed a rough kiss to her lips. His touch grew softer and eventually he pulled away from her, letting her fall to the pillow, exhausted.

Ayato removed his hand from her underwear and noisily licked his fingers. "This might be even better than your blood, Pancake."

Yui rolled her eyes and let out a breath. She was still reeling from the alien sensation she had just felt. Ayato observed her silently for a moment, eyes moving up and down her body.

"What?" she asked, feeling a little embarrassed under his hawk-like gaze.

"Nothing. I just wanted to-" he paused. "Actually, we'll save that for another day."

"Save what?" she replied, curiously. He grinned back at her.

"It's a surprise. By the way, you may want to change your underwear," he said, gripping her cunt in his hand and squeezing. "You're soaked."

Yui batted his hand away and pushed herself into a sitting position. As she looked away from him, guilt began to wash over her. What had she done? Why hadn't she pushed him away - had she enjoyed it?

"Urgh," he muttered from behind her.

"What?" she answered, picking her clothes up from the floor and shielding her body with them.

"Stop thinking so much."

"How do you know what I'm thinking?" she retorted, crossing the room toward the en-suite shower room. She turned to see him laying on the bed with his arms folded over his eyes, as if blocking out the light.

"You think so loudly, Pancake. You're so obvious. Stop fucking worrying," he stood then, and took a few steps toward her. "And, next time my brothers corner you, call out for me. I'll hear and I can get them off you."

Yui smiled softly and tilted her head. He was so strange. Had something changed between them, or was this merely a show for tonight? "Thank you, Ayato."

"Don't thank me. I'm only doing it because I want your blood to myself," he snapped, turning back to the bed. "Now hurry up and do what you need to do. I want to sleep."

"You don't have to wait for me, you can go back to your room whene-"

Ayato span on his heel and rushed toward her, backing her into the door which led to the bathroom. He grinned widely, showing off his fangs. "I'm staying here tonight."

Yui furrowed her brow, confused. Her body was exhausted, she just wanted to sleep. She could not lose any more blood today, so what did he want? He didn't expect her to continue with what they had been doing- did he? "Ayato, I'm really tired. I-"

"Oh shut up, Pancake," he chided, cupping her chin in his hand. "I'm not going to drink your blood tonight."

"Then why-?"

He leaned forward to speak in her ear. "And I'm not going to fuck you tonight. I just want to sleep."

"Oh, um, okay," she replied.

"Good girl," he said, with a smile. He span her around and slapped her bottom hard, jolting her in the direction of the bathroom. "Now, hurry up."

-0-

Yui shut the door to the bathroom behind her and headed toward the bed. She felt so tired after a hot shower and couldn't wait to get some rest. After dropping her wash-bag on her dressing table, she turned back to the four-poster and observed the red-haired vampire who now lay under the covers. His shirt and trousers were flung on the floor near her feet and she could see his bare chest peeking out from the duvet. Her pulse quickened slightly as she nervously slipped under the covers next to him. She scooted as far to the other side as she could, though was quickly tugged back into the middle by Ayato. He flipped the light-switch and wrapped a cold arm around her waist. She felt his lips touch the back of her neck.

For the first time, she didn't feel afraid of him, or of the darkness surrounding them. His arm felt almost comforting. Yui frowned into her pillow - she could not think of him in this way. He was still a Sakamaki vampire. He had no soul. He had thrown her in a pool just to prove a point, for Heaven's sake! She would be careful, she would not be seduced his touch so easily in the future. She would not be seduced at all!

She closed her eyes and tried to ignore the scene playing over in her head and the butterflies rising in her stomach.


	2. Chapter 2

_Thanks for all the lovely reviews guys! I'm so pleased that the first chapter went down so well. Just to note: Yui will be more like the manga version than the anime version. She's a bit feistier and less afraid to speak up for herself - much better to write and it soothes my feminist conscience (which is raging at me for liking this show so much anyway). Anyway - here's the next chapter!_

 _-0-_

By the time Yui awoke, Ayato was already gone. She was relieved in a way, it would have been hard to speak to him after-

 _What had she done?_

Yui sat up in her bed and tucked her arms around her knees, burying her head in her lap. Could she blame it on the lack of blood? Obviously not, it would stupid to deny that she had not pushed him away. Her eyes clamped shut. Did she want to do that again?

"I heard you last night," a low voice said from in front of her.

She yelped and dropped her legs back to the bed, raising her head to find the source of the voice. Subaru stood at the end of her four-poster, crimson eyes focused on her. He was dressed in his usual attire, hands shoved deep in his trouser pockets.

"Subaru! I didn't hear you come in," she said, pulling the covers further up her legs. After a pause, she processed what he said. He heard - surely not? Her face flushed red. "What do you mean?"

"I heard you last night," he repeated, clenching his fist at his side. "You were so loud."

"I don't know what you mean," she replied, pulling her knees back into her chest. "I-"

"You and Ayato. I heard you," he stated, shutting his eyes. He wrinkled his nose in disgust. "You still reek of him."

"I-I," she stammered, lost for words. "I, um-"

"You are so irritating," Subaru snapped, looking down at his feet. He let out a shaky breath, as if trying to contain his anger. "I also heard what you said in the entrance hall."

Yui frowned. "You did?"

"I am going to be frank with you, Yui," he said, slowly. "I think you would be making a mistake if you continued with Ayato."

"Pardon?" she spluttered, sitting upright.

"He is the most sadistic of my brothers. You should not feel safe with him," Subaru responded, turning his eyes to the ceiling. His eyes fluttered shut and he lowered himself to sit on the end of the bed.

She scoffed and folded her arms across her chest. Yesterday's events replayed through her mind - Subaru hadn't paid her any mind when she begged him to stop, bloodied and near-vomiting in the attic corridor. "Ayato took the time to heal my wounds. At least he helped me - he didn't just continue without a care."

Subaru head flicked back to her and he fixed her with a stony glare. "You are such an idiot."

"And you are a hypocrite," she snapped.

He scowled. "Where did this new-found courage come from? You are usually so...docile."

"I-I've just had enough," she replied, clenching the sheets between her fists. "It isn't fair."

"Life isn't fair," he answered, anger starting to rise in his voice.

"How would you know?" Yui said, hotly. "You were dead before you were born."

Subaru remained silent, but sat up and turned to face her, eyes lifeless and blank for a moment. Slowly, his features descended into a scowl. He wrenched the sheets toward him, tearing them away from Yui.

"I would not speak to me like that, girl," he snarled. Yui froze, inching away from him. Subaru's temper was volatile at the best of times - she was knowingly pressing his buttons. His lip curled as he took in her frightened expression, but he didn't move.

"Subaru, I-"

"I am not heartless, Yui. I am only saying this to you as one who has a modicum more compassion than his siblings - do not go down the road you have begun to walk."

She stared at him, wide-eyed. "Why not?"

He sighed and grabbed ahold of her foot, tugging her down the sheets. Yui shrieked as he maneuvered his body on top of her, stretching her arms out to her sides and pinning them down. She struggled against his grip but was unable to move him.

"Get off me right now Subaru-!" she blurted out.

"Listen to me, Yui. Stop moving," he said, calmly. She slowly stilled, though her face still flushed with anger. "I do not wish to hurt you. You are just a human - humans should never get mixed up with our disgusting race." His harsh glare softened and after a pause, he released her wrists and sat back on his heels. "Ayato does not think in the same way. He would heal you just to hurt you far worse then next day."

He ran his hand through his hair and clutched the white tendrils between his fingers. Yui hesitantly reached out and touched his forearm. He peered up at her and she gave him a small smile.

"I will be careful, Subaru," she said, softly. Though she was uncertain of his intentions, She couldn't help but feel he cared - even if he denied it. "Thank you."

"He will kill you eventually, Yui," he said, a hint of anger tinging his voice. She withdrew her hand in shock. "When he gets bored, or you get broken."

"I-" she began, lost for words. "I don't..."

"Bear it in mind," Subaru interrupted, as a flicker of anger crossed his face.. "Before he fucks you."

Yui was so surprised by his words that she let out an incredulous laugh as she sat up. "I'm not going to let hi-" Subaru lurched forward and grabbed ahold of the collar of her night-gown, pulling her close to him. She clenched her fingers around his fist and started to scratch at his cold skin. "Get off me! Put me down!"

"Really? Because you were moaning like a bitch in heat for him last night," Subar hissed, narrowing his eyes.

"Why do you care?" Yui asked, gripping his arms to steady herself.

Subaru tensed and she could see the bones of his jaw protruding from under his skin. "I don't."

"Really?" she retorted. "Because you seem pretty concerned."

"Don't talk back to me, little girl," he said, angrily. His fist tightened on her collar, forcing the material to cut into the skin of her throat.

"Or what?" Yui replied. Her heart was pounding hard against her chest - she couldn't believe her own nerve. It was exhilarating, despite the creeping fear that she was pushing him too far. "Are you going to 'punish' me, Subaru? Going to sink as low as your brothers?"

A low growl rumbled in his chest and he shoved her back onto the bed, placing his hands on either side of her head.

"We always end up in this position, don't we?" he hissed, leaning in close to her. Yui glowered at him. He was repeating Ayato's words from the previous evening. She opened her mouth to call for the red-haired brother - he promised to come to her if she shouted his name. Before she could even utter one syllable, Subaru had clamped his hand down over her mouth.

"Get off her!" a voice called out from the doorway. There was a loud crash and Subaru's weight was lifted from on top of her.

Yui opened her eyes to see Ayato standing over Subaru, who he had flung to the floor in a fit of rage.

"What the fuck, asshole?" Subaru shouted, pushing himself up onto his feet.

"Don't touch her," his brother replied. Yui stayed silent, eyes wide with fright. Both men stared at each other, fists clenched and muscle tense, as if they were ready to pounce upon one another. "She's mine."

Subaru let out a hiss, baring his teeth and his brother mirrored his actions. They remained still for a moment until finally-

"Fuck this shit," Subaru said, roughly. He turned on his heel and headed toward the door. He paused, with his hand on the doorknob and looked back at Yui. "Remember what I said."

Before she could reply, he walked from the room and slammed the door behind him. The force of the action was so great that the wood splintered around the doorhandle.

"Asshole," Ayato muttered. He looked over at her and fixed her with a stern stare. "Did he do anything?"

"No. He just wanted to talk," Yui replied, shaking her head. He raised an eyebrow. "He's not very good at controlling his temper, is he?"

Ayato rolled his eyes. "He's an idiot."

He strode to the bed and threw himself down next to her, positioning himself so his arms were resting behind his head. He flashed her a grin and immediately her cheeks began to redden.

"Ayato, um," Yui began, lacing her hands together in her lap. "About last night-"

"Mmm," he hummed, smirking. He raised an arm and rested his hand on her thigh. "What about last night?"

Yui paused, feeling his forefinger gently stroke her knee. Before she could speak, he lurched up and pressed his lips against hers. Her eyes fluttered shut and she gently sighed as he began to kiss him way down her cheek. In the haze of pleasure, Yui didn't notice his lips descend further. A low moan left her lips as he kissed her throat. She felt him smirk against her skin.

"Mine," he whispered. Yui's eyes opened at the sound of his possessive tone.

"A-Ayato," she stammered, as his hands clamped down over her wrists.

He leaned forward and sunk his fangs deep into the tender skin between her throat and shoulder. Yui screamed in pain, writhing underneath him as she cried out for him to stop. The vampire drank deeply for another minute, then shoved her away from him and leaned back on his heels.

"Fuck me, Pancake," he said, wiping a stray drop of blood from the corner of his mouth. "You taste _so good."_

"Why did you do that?" she asked, hissing in pain as she placed a hand over the wound.

Ayato grinned at her and pushed himself off the bed. "Don't think too much of yourself, little girl. Sexual exploitations aside, you're just my blood bank."

Yui frowned. How could he say that? After-

"Anyway. I came here to tell you something," he said, interrupting her thoughts. "My brothers and I are going away for a week. We have to visit Karlheinz. Succession discussions."

"You're...going away?" Yui replied, furrowing her brow. "All of you?"

"Don't get any ideas about running away, Pancake," Ayato snapped, scowling. "Shu is staying in the Manor. He has already made it quite clear that he's too fucking lazy to take the reigns around here. So he's staying to make sure you don't go anyway."

"Shu?" she asked, eyes wide. This was excellent! Shu was by far the laziest of the brothers - he was so unaware of his surroundings surely he wouldn't notice if she quietly slipped out of the door. This was her one opportunity to run and she was not going to let it pass without taking it.

Ayato nodded. "The pathetic oaf won't touch you if he knows what's good for him."

"I'm not an oaf, Ayato," a deep voice grumbled from the other side of the room. "And don't call me pathetic."

Ayato turned slightly and Yui should see Shu sprawled out on the sofa behind him, long legs hanging off the end. The blonde turned his head to look at them, but kept his eyes shut. He let out his trademark sigh.

"I'll be keeping watch over you. And, brother, if I get hungry I will not hesitate to drink from her."

"You fucking dare and I'll torch your room," Ayato retorted. He reached into his pocket and removed his cigarette lighter. He clicked it open and flicked the flint, watching as a large flame began to burn brightly. "Got it?"

Yui looked past Ayato's back and could see that Shu was now sat up, staring, wide-eyed at the lighter in his brother's hand. She noted the expression of fear on his face and frowned. It was odd to see the quiet, imposing vampire look so terrified. The reflection of the orange flame glinted in his blue eyes as he watched it, though for a moment his gaze locked with Yui's. Was he frightened of fire? He remained silent until Ayato flicked the lighter shut and chuckled smugly.

"Good to know we're on the same level, brother," he said, strolling past Shu and heading to the door. "Pathetic. See you later, Pancake. Be good, or else."

Shu pushed himself off the sofa and sauntered to the door, slamming it behind Ayato as he left. Yui blankly stared at the blonde as he turned back to look at her wearily.

"Try not to disturb me for the rest of the day," he said, shoving his hands into his cardigan pockets. "Your noise bothers me. I'll want food in a few hours, so make me something and call me when it's ready."

Yui raised a brow. He was such an odd character. Out of all the Sakamaki brothers, Shu was the one who had shown any restraint when it came to dealing with her. He only drank her blood when he desperately needed it and even then he made sure it was as quick as he could. She wasn't sure whether that was for her benefit or if he just found her tiresome to be around. Other than those brief interactions, Shu had barely spoken a word to her.

"Uh, sure," she replied. Shu nodded and turned away, moving to the door. "Um, Shu?"

"What?" he replied, without turning back to look at her.

"I, um, I don't know what food you like," she said, nervously twisting the blankets between her hands.

"Savoury. I don't like sweet," he answered, blankly. "And don't try to run away. That would be terribly bothersome." He stepped out into the hallway and shut the door behind him, finally leaving her on her own.

Yui looked down at her lap and saw that her hands were still clenched tightly around the sheets. With a sigh, she released them and lay back down on the bed. There was something about Shu's smooth, deep baritone that made her heart-beat quicken. In fact, her hands often shook in his presence, even when he remained silent. She was uncertain if this was due to the feeling she had that he was far more dangerous than he let on or something else entirely. It was not the rush she got from Ayato's teasing or the way his fangs so brutally entered her, but a slow, burning sensation that never reached its peak. He left her wanting.

-0-

She waited for an hour before leaving the house. So far, it was easier than she had anticipated. She had packed a small rucksack with her most precious belongings, some money and a spare set of clothes, checked the hallway for any vampires, then simply headed to the front door. If she remembered correctly, she still needed to head through the gardens, then down the driveway to the front gate. It wasn't too far and in the dark of the evening, surely no-one would see her? She looked out over the gardens and frowned - the pathways were gravel. Yui took in a deep breath and began to run, feet crunching against the stones. If she could make it to the gate quickly, she might not be heard-

A heavy weight collided with her back, forcing her to the floor. She let out a screech as her front was pushed into the ground. A hand held the back of her head and shoved her face into the gravel, causing her to shriek as the small stones cut into her skin. She was flipped over onto her back and saw Shu above her. His face was tensed, cheekbones and jawline jutting out from under his pale skin. He straddled her hips and placed a hand on her sternum, pushing her back down as she tried to struggled.

"Get off me!" she cried, clawing at his hand. He caught her wrists and pressed them into the ground beside her head.

"Going somewhere?" he asked, as if amused by her anger.

"I was taking a walk in the garden," Yui snapped back at him.

He smirked and his gaze slid to the rucksack that had fallen beside them in the struggle. "With a bag full of belongings?"

Yui gaped at him, unable to form any words. Instead, she let out a loud shriek and tried again to push him away. For a moment, it seemed as if she had managed to, as his weight lifted from her body. Suddenly, she was yanked to her feet by her collar and he held her up to his face, leaving her feet desperately kicking in the air. He pulled her in close and she could feel his breath on her face as he spoke.

"That was a _very_ bad thing to do, little girl," he hissed, blue eyes narrowing. "I thought I warned you not to run."

"Get off! Let me down!"

He shook her, silencing her screams. "Stop your crying. You did this to yourself."

"Did what-?"

Shu chuckled darkly and pulled her forward, carrying her over his shoulder. He turned back toward the house, stopping only to pick up her rucksack, as she kicked and screamed into his back.

"Stop making so much noise," he sighed, pushing open the front door.

Yui's mind was racing - what was he going to do to her? At first, her thoughts moved to Ayato, wondering if she should scream for his assistance. Quickly she realized this was a terrible idea - he was far away from the mansion and his words still rang loudly in her head. _You're just my blood bank._

"I'm sorry," she whispered, tears springing to her eyes.

Shu grunted and circled her waist with an arm, removing her from his shoulder and settling her on one of the sofas in the main hall. He ran a hand through his hair as he glared down at her. "That was really stupid. You will never be able to get away."

Yui remained silent and continued staring at the ground, tears now rolling freely down her cheeks.

"I should punish you," he stated. The girl didn't reply, but her small hands began to tremble.

Shu cocked his head to one side as he surveyed her. She was an irritation to him for the most part. But could he really blame her for trying to run? This house, his brothers, her idiotic faith - he could see how it would all be too much for her. It irked him that she thought him to be the weakest in the family. As if he would have allowed her to escape.

"Shu?"

He shook his head, his name bringing him out of his thoughts. Yui was looking up at him, eyes red and teary. The sight of her like that strangely excited him and his gaze immediately lowered to her neck.

"I'm sorry," she said, voice breaking. "Please don't punish me, I promise I won't try to run again."

He frowned. It was his obligation to discipline her for her misbehavior but he found himself at a loss of what to do. It was not in his nature to whip the girl, like Reiji would, nor did he wish to hurt her in the way the triplets would. He did not even want to shout at her. He sighed - this was nothing to do with any feelings he had for the girl, he simply found the idea too wearying.

"Fine," he replied, blankly. Yui's eyes widened in shock and a small smile rose on her face. "But don't think that I lack the power or the spine to do so. I am simply too tired."

"Thank you, Shu," she answered, standing. "I will return to my room."

"No," he said, moving close to her. "Not yet."

He took her arm in his hand and tugged her into his chest.

"Shu, what are you-?"

"You didn't make me anything to eat. I'm hungry," he murmured, moving her hair away from her shoulder.

Yui tensed up, preparing herself for the sting of his fangs. Gently, his tongue pressed against her skin. She closed her eyes, trying not to linger on the electric feeling he was creating on her throat. Soon after, she felt a prick of pain and he sunk his fangs deep into her throat. Yui let out a gasp and her hands reached up to grab the front of his cardigan. Shu's eyes fluttered shut as her blood entered his body. He had almost forgotten how delicious she was. It was rare to find a taste so delicate and yet fulfilling, so perfectly suited to his taste. He groaned slightly as it coursed down his throat. He had forced himself to only drink from her when he absolutely needed it. To do otherwise would have driven him insane. The taste was addictive - he could see why Ayato wanted to keep the girl all to himself. The temptation to drain her was better staved off if he kept his distance. He withdrew from her throat and opened his eyes, still reveling in the bloodlust.

As he lapped at the bite marks to collect the last droplets of blood, he heard her let out a soft whimper above him. He drew back and raised a brow as he took in her face. A light pink blush was spread across her cheeks and her eyes were squeezing tightly shut. Her lips were open and he could see her teeth biting down on her lower lip, as if trying to hold back any sound she might emit. She was breathing heavily, chest rising and falling fast, as if she were panicking. Shu smirked as she opened her eyes.

"Do you-?" he paused, noticing the way her hands were still grasping his jumper. "Like having your blood sucked, Yui?"

"N-no, of course not," she stammered, breathlessly. Quickly she removed her hands and took a step backward.

Shu stepped toward her, grin still pulling one corner of his mouth upward. "Then why do you look so aroused?"

Yui gasped and shook her head vigorously. "I'm not!"

Shu hummed and backed her up until the back of her knees hit the edge of the sofa. She stumbled, but managed to stay on her feet and held up a hand in front of her.

"Ayato said not to touch me!"

Shu ignored her and advanced further, forcing her to sit on the sofa. He placed a knee on one side of her and leaned in close to her face. Blood pounded loudly in Yui's ears.

"Do you belong to him?" Shu asked, softly.

"No, of course not, I-."

"Then I don't have to listen to a word he says, do I?" he said, amused at her reactions. He raised a hand and gently stroked the bite marks on her neck, causing her to whimper. "I like the sounds you make when you are experiencing pleasure. I wish you wouldn't bite them back."

Yui stammered out a few unintelligible noises and sweat began to shine on her forehead. Shu chuckled and leaned in to her ear. She shivered as she felt his breath touch her skin. He lowered his hand and smoothed it over her neck, then lower still, fingers dipping under the strap of her bra. He halted, fingers splayed over her shoulder. Yui trembled under his touch - this was wrong, wasn't it? It shouldn't feel this good to be toyed with.

"If you want me to go any further, you're going to need to beg for it," Shu hissed.

Yui tried to still her panting but found she could not. What about Ayato? She had only been with him the night before, she couldn't possibly continue! As much as her body ached and yearned for his touch, she couldn't. "I can't."

Shu chuckled darkly and removed his hand from her shoulder. He stepped back and moved to lay down on the sofa opposite. "Suit yourself. If you're going to be boring then stop bothering me and leave."

After composing herself for a moment, Yui shakily stood and began to walk away from the entrance hall. Her heart still pounded, her blood was still racing - once out of sight, she leaned heavily against a wall and held her flushed face in her hands. He never did fail to leave her wanting.


	3. Chapter 3

" _EDGAR!"_

Shu awoke with a start, fists curling into his bedsheets. He pushed himself into a sitting position, back against the headboard, and ran a shaking hand through his hair, now damp from the sweat that clung to his skin. It was the same dream, the one that had plagued him for years now. The images terrified him, he could feel the heat of the flames still now. Nearly every week those horrific images appeared before him so clearly it was if he was were a child again.

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and cradling his temples with his palms. A set of long, deep breaths calmed his racing heart and the visions slowly began to fade from his mind. He threw the heavy duvet off away from his body and stripped off the white t-shirt he wore to bed, throwing the damp cloth to the floor. He turned onto his side and grabbed the glass of water from his bedside table, gulping the cool liquid down thirstily.

The dreams had gotten worse, more intense, since Yui had arrived in the house. He thought on the small, blonde girl - surely she could not be the source of the problem? He settled the empty glass down on the table next to the diary, before turning away and pulling the thick duvet back over his shoulders.

If he was going to have dreams, they could at least have been about her He smirked into his pillow as new images filled his head. When she had tried to run a strange arousal came over him. No female had ever defied him like that, not for many years, and it excited him. He would have loved to shred her clothes at that moment, bend her over his desk and fuck her until she knew who she was talking to. _The Master of Sakamaki Manor, the heir-_

As he pictured her, naked before him, he moved a hand down over his chest, then stomach and began to stroke himself slowly. _He barely took the time to look at her body, he didn't need to. She felt soft, she moaned as he clawed at the skin of her back and that was enough. Her hair felt coarse and crisp as he pulled it backwards, jerking her back against his torso. As he pushed into her, she shuddered and arched, her insides tightening around him -_

-0-

She used to miss the sun. Now she couldn't wait for night to fall.

Yui yawned, stretching her arms above her head. It was nice to have her initial waking moments pass undisturbed, usually she had one of the triplets to deal with as soon as she opened her eyes. This 'morning' however, Shu had given her space and she had spent around an hour lounging. She still had another thirty minutes before she had to be getting ready for school and she planned to make good use of it - by doing absolutely nothing.

She hummed gently and she rolled over onto her side and dragged the warm blankets up over her shoulders. It was delightfully peaceful - she could see why Shu appreciated time alone to sleep. Yui's thoughts lingered on the eldest Sakamaki. He had acted very out of character yesterday.

 _If you want me to go any further, you're going to need to beg for it_ _._

A shiver ran down her spine. He was usually so quiet and apathetic and he rarely bothered to cast an eye on her. Yui frowned, turning her face into her pillow. Perhaps this was Shu's true character after all and his expressionless, bored persona was merely a facade? She sighed deeply and raised a hand to gently trace the small wounds still present on her neck. It was odd, but having her blood sucked was far less painful when it was with Shu. Ayato made a point of making his bites as painful as he could and the other brothers were no better. She cast the thought aside - it was highly unlikely that Shu have a damn about causing her pain, he probably just couldn't be bothered to deal with her struggling. She rolled back over and faced the ceiling, staring blankly at the deep pink hue of her four-poster's drapes. Thinking of the sensations his touch gave her caused goosebumps to rise over her body.

"Yui," a voice called.

She sat bolt upright, startled by the sudden noise. In the darkness of the room she could just about make out the shadow of a tall, thin figure standing at the foot of her bed.

"Shu?" she asked, recognising the sound of his voice. What was he doing here - could he hear her thoughts? Yui prayed that he couldn't as she blindly fumbled her way to the beside table to turn on the lamp.

"Yes, it's me," he replied.

Yui flipped the switch and blinked heavily as her eyes adjusted to the light. After a moment, she could see him clearly, dressed in his thick beige cardigan, ear-plugs firmly placed in his ears, placid expression set.

"Are you okay?" she said, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

He nodded in response. "I just came to tell you that there will be no school this week, so there is no reason to get out of bed so early."

Yui raised an eyebrow. "You know just because your brothers are away doesn't mean that you get to skip school."

Shu's lips twitched, as if he were growing annoyed. "It's not that. School is closed for the Christmas holidays."

"Oh," she said, surprised. Christmas? She hadn't been keeping track - days, weeks seemed to get lost since she had come to the Manor. "What day is it today?"

"The twenty-fourth of December."

"I see," she responded, looking away from Shu and back down at her hands. "Thank you for letting me know."

Shu turned away from her and walked to the door. "Don't try to run away today, Yui. I can't be bothered with it again."

He strode back out into the hallway and left her alone. She turned and switched the beside lamp off, then sunk back into her pillow and curled her knees up to her chest. It was Christmas eve. She closed her eyes. Last year she had spent time with her Father. 'Adoptive' Father, she reminded herself. Still, it had been warm, full of life and happy - so unlike the situation she currently found herself in. Christmas was supposed to bring love and joy, two things Sakamaki Manor was completely devoid of. She doubted she would even see next Christmas. Yui found that it never did her any good to dwell on what the future might bring. She would either be dead, or a vampire, though the former seemed far more likely. The second option hardly appealed to her - would she forsake everything she believed in for eternal life? Was life worth it?

Certainly not at the moment. She was nothing more than a walking sack of blood for a group of abusive vampires. One of who she would be forced to marry in the near future. A shiver ran down her spine as she thought on who she may end up with. The hysteric, the authoritarian, the satyr, the brute, the sadist and the emotionless. Tears leaked from behind her closed eyes and onto the pillow. She tried to suppress a whimper but was unable to.

"Why are you crying?"

Yui say up suddenly, squinting in the darkness to see where the voice had spoken from. Faintly, she could see the outline of Shu, sat across the end of her bed, leaning back against one of posters.

"When did you-?"

"Are you in pain?" he interrupted.

She shook her head and pulled the duvet up over her lap. "No."

"Then why are you crying?" he asked again. In the darkness of the bedroom, she couldn't make out his facial expressions and somehow, it made it easier to talk.

"Isn't it obvious? It's close to Christmas, I'm away from the only family I've ever known, stuck in this place," Yui said, quietly trying to contain her sobs. "With p-people who hate me."

"You think I hate you?" he replied. It was impossible to decipher his tone, as usual.

She sniffed loudly, wiping her thumb across her eye. "That much is obvious."

Shu sighed and rolled his head back against the poster. "Please stop crying, Yui."

Her cries quietened after a moment and silence fell between them. Yui stared at his faint outline. He hadn't denied it - she knew he was no different from the rest of them.

"Get dressed, we're going out," he said, swinging his legs around so that his back was to her.

"What? Where?" she asked, leaning across to switch the light back on.

Shu blinked in the sudden bright light. He looked back at her as he stood. Her eyes were red raw and shimmering with tears. She looked pitiful. "The twenty-four hour shopping centre."

"Why?"

Shu groaned and ran a hand through his hair. "Must you ask so many questions?"

"Sorry," Yui replied, frowning. "I didn't think that would be where - I mean - it's noisy in town."

"I just thought you would like to see the Christmas lights," he snapped, turning away from her. He strode to the door, calling out behind him as he left. "So get ready, or I'll change my mind."

The door slammed shut. A smile rose on her face and dashed out of the four poster and across the shining wooden floor to the bathroom. They were going out of the house! It was a shame that the thought excited her so much, but in her current situation she couldn't complain. After a short shower, she sprinted back into the main room to find her clothes, dropping the green towel from around her chest and onto the bed.

As she pulled on a pair of knickers, a soft coughing sound behind her caught her attention. When she turned, it shocked her to see Shu, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed. She shrieked, snatching the towel from the bed to cover her nudity.

"Shu, what on Earth?" she panted, stepping back so the back of her legs were touching the edge of the bed.

"Apologies," he said, though she noticed that he never averted his eyes. "Aren't you done yet?."

"Um, well, no - not yet," she replied, tucking the towel underneath her armpits. "Would you mind stepping outside for just a couple of minutes, so that I might get changed?"

Instead of doing as she said, the man simply turned to look at the wall. Yui gritted her teeth together in annoyance - remaining calm and polite around this boy was exceptionally difficult. She pulled on her clothes as quickly as possible, slipped on her shoes and headed to the door. Shu swiveled to face her as she stood next to him.

"Let's go," he said, opening the door for her. Yui smiled and stepped ahead of him. As they left her quarters and began to make their way to the breakfast room, a few thoughts reeled through Yui's mind.

Firstly, the house brought back memories of an English film she had once glimpsed as a child. Not the decor, so much as the maze of long, straight corridors. Images of a child cycling up and down hallways, of twins in blue...a shiver ran down her spine at the thought. Secondly, she noted something about Shu. He wasn't wearing his headphones. He seemed to notice her staring and smiled down at her, cocking an eyebrow.

"Do you celebrate Christmas here?" Yui stammered out, turning her head away from him. Her cheeks flushed with heat.

"No," he answered, as they descended the stairs. "We're vampires, Yui."

"That doesn't mean you can't give each other gifts and put up a tree," she replied. The thought did seem a bit ridiculous. "Christmas is hardly a religious holiday anymore."

"Can you imagine Reiji hanging up baubles?" he said, blankly.

She giggled, holding her hand over her mouth. "Okay, I see what you're saying."

"And we've never given gifts."

"Not even from your parents?"

Shu looked at her as he opened the front door, allowing her to pass. "My Father gave me a violin once. But-."

"But?"

"Reiji tore the strings," he said. "I never bothered replacing them."

"Oh," Yui responded, furrowing her brow. "How horrible."

-0-

It was only the six o'clock, but the winter months aided the early falling of dusk. The centre of town looked beautiful. Hundreds of fairy-lights adorned lamp-posts, fences and shop-doorways. Frost cracked window panes into bizarre fractals and pure white snow lined the streets. Yui cuddled her scarf into her neck - it was lovely to be outside of the Manor. Shu looked as passive as ever, but he hadn't complained yet, so she had an inkling that he was enjoying himself too.

"This is wonderful," she said, holding her hand out in front of her. Snowflakes swirled down from the sky, catching on the wool of her mitten. "I haven't seen snow before."

"It's pitiful," Shu replied, in a bored tone. "Nothing compared to the Pole."

"The Pole?" Yui asked raising an eyebrow.

Shu didn't reply, but kicked a small pile of snow by the side of the pavement. "Shall we go inside? I want a drink." Yui balked and one hand moved automatically to her neck. Shu frowned and rolled his eyes. "Not that kind of drink, you idiot."

They moved forward, through a set of glass doors and into the shopping centre. Yui almost let out a cry of joy. Other people were milling around the gargantuan entrance hall - families and couples laughed together, as if they had no care in the world. She smiled sadly to herself. This is what she should be doing, enjoying time with her family. She sighed and turned her head to look at Shu, who was plugging the jack of his headphones into the mp3 player tied around his neck. He was obviously already annoyed by the loud chorus of happy conversation. At least she was here, even if it was with one of the Sakamaki brothers.

"Is there anywhere you want to go?" she asked, politely.

Shu nodded to his left. She followed his gaze to a darkened window. "Over there. I'm going to get a drink. You can go do whatever you like for an hour."

"O-okay," she replied, looking back at him. He leaned in close to her, fixing her gaze sternly.

"If you run, I will catch you," he hissed into her ear. Yui shivered at the dangerous tone and the feeling of his breath on her cheek. He pulled her arm toward him and gently pressed something into her hand. "One hour. Then meet me in there."

He stood upright, inserted both of his headphones into his ears and turned on his heel. Yui watched as he walked away, then looked down into her hand. Money? She gawped at the sheer amount she hand clenched between her fingers - never in her life had she seen this much money!

"Thank you," she whispered, tucking the wad into her coat pocket. Pleased, she turned and smiled up at the dangling Christmas decorations. The centre was enormous, there was no way she could visit all of it in one hour.

What on Earth did she have to buy? There was no-one to- She paused and pressed her fingers thoughtfully to her lips. She could buy gifts for the brothers, though she doubted they would appreciate it. A smile stretched over her face. Shu had gone to all this trouble for her, perhaps she could think of something for him.

 _Reiji tore the strings._

-0-

One hour later, she descended the escalator and tore across the entrance hall toward the darkened bar. After a moment of catching her breath, she stepped through the doorway and peered around the dimly-lit room, searching for Shu. The bar was old-fashioned, small, pokey and covered in glittering fairy-lights. The first room contained a shining mahogany bar lined with large bottles of different coloured liquids. The next, which was found up a small, winding set of stairs, contained a number of rustic wooden tables, mis-matched chairs and even a couple of old, leather sofas. Candles shoved into wine bottles littered the tables. A number of couples were sat in the room, talking to one another quietly. She located Shu at the back of the small room, sat in a comfortable looking armchair. His eyes were closed, he looked to be asleep. The blazer he usually wore was shrugged over the back of the chair. Yui noticed a large bottle and two glasses on the table in front of him. She sat down in the armchair opposite him. Oddly, the candle at his table was the only one not lit. Instead a small stream of smoke rose from the wick, as if it had been recently snubbed out.

For the first time, in the flickering light of the candles, she saw him as a genuinely attractive man. Not merely an object of lust, or a persuasive, alluring fuck, but as something gentle, something beautiful. For the first time, he seemed human.

"Stop staring at me," he said, suddenly opening his eyes.

Yui froze, then laughed nervously. "S-sorry. I didn't want to wake you."

Shu rolled his eyes and sat upright. He leaned forward and reached for the bottle on the table. He gestured toward her. "Want a glass?"

"What is it?" she said, hesitantly.

"It's red wine," he replied. "Have you not seen wine before either?"

Yui flushed. "Of course I have! We had it for communi-"

"Never mind," he cut in, pouring out two large glasses.

"Are we allowed to drink?" she whispered. Curiously, she reached for the glass and looked down into the dark red liquid.

"You're of age," he said, placing the bottle back onto the table. He took up his glass and leaned back in his chair with a sigh. "Just drink it. You might like it."

Yui grimaced as she looked at it. The darkness of it almost reminded her of blood. Despite her initial hesitation, she took a small sip of the wine.

"Mmm!" she commented, surprised. "That's delicious!"

Shu smirked and took a deep drink. "It tastes like your blood."

Yui spluttered into her drink, droplets of wine spilling around her mouth. "What?!"

"It's sweet, a little bitter. It burns when it slides down your throat. Just like you," he said, swirling the liquid around in his glass. He peered over the rim at her as she wiped the wine from her lips. "You looked rather like a vampire just then."

She frowned, placing the glass back on the table. It was warm in the bar, probably a mixture of the candles and the size, she thought. She removed her coat, hat and scarf and placed them on the floor next to her.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, reaching down to her coat. She dipped her hand into the pocket and removed a small, brightly wrapped package. Shu raised an eyebrow as she offered it to him. "I know it's early, but - Merry Christmas!"

He paused, uncertain. "What?"

Yui gave him a beaming smile and threw the present into his lap, causing him to flinch. "This is for you. It's a Christmas present."

He stared at her blankly, then slowly placed his glass of wine back on the table. "Why?"

"What do you mean 'why'?"

"Why did you get me a present?"

Yui raised an eyebrow. "Because it's Christmas."

He picked the gift up and held it in front of his face. It was wrapped in a garishly red tissue paper, topped with a big green bow. "Yes, I understand that. But why did you buy one for me?"

Yui paused and looked down at her hands. "B-because I wanted to. Stop asking questions and just open it."

Shu gaped at her order, but said nothing. With a flick of his fingers he had pulled the paper apart. He stared down at the small box in his hands silently for a moment, then looked back at her.

"Violin strings?" he asked, at a loss.

"Yes, um. You said you didn't have any," she replied, face flushing red. This really had been a stupid idea, she thought. "The man in the shop said that gut strings were the type for classical players, so - I mean, you can take them back if they are the wrong ones. I just-"

"No, they're perfect," he responded, his tone still expressionless. His fingers wrapped around the small box tightly and he looked back at it. Why had she done this? She didn't owe him anything. His mind raced as he looked at the illustration of the violin on the front. She had listened to him. This was unexpected. He felt a strange pang in his chest. "Thank you, Yui."

The blonde girl smiled warmly at him. "You're very welcome."

The vampire watched as she picked her glass up again and drank deeply from the cup. She really was an odd girl.

"I don't have anything for you," he said.

"I don't need anything, Shu," she laughed, shaking her head. "Besides, you technically paid for your own present, so..."

Yui's stomach squirmed as she watched him turn the box over in his hands. She was relieved he liked it, though was utterly confused by his reaction. As she watched him, the side of his lips quirked until, after a moment, he broke out into a wide grin. It was a gorgeous smile. It lit up his face with a warmth she had never seen before. She smiled back, trying to ignore the rising attraction she was feeling toward him.

"I'll have to find my violin," he said, grin still in place.

"I would like to hear you play," she mentioned. "If that is okay with you?"

Shu placed the box on the table and picked his glass back up. His grin lowered into a satisfied smile. "I suppose I owe you one song."


	4. Chapter 4

_This chapter is quite violent. Please be aware of that before you start reading._

 _-0-_

"So you _can_ eat garlic?"

"Yes."

"And you aren't afraid of crosses?"

"No."

Shu sighed and leaned back in his seat, quietly observing Yui as she laughed. Her face was flushed pink from the influence of the wine and the heat of the little bar. It was amusing to see the girl tipsy - she was far bolder than usual and a lot louder. The alcohol enhanced the scent of her blood, he could smell it from across the table. He gazed at her neck, enthralled by the way her veins stood out starkly through her pale skin. He felt light-headed all of a sudden and he swallowed, trying to ignore the aching thirst. It took all his self-restraint not to drag her across the table and tear her to pieces. Shu watched as she reached for her glass again.

"You might want to slow down, Yui," he said, raising an eyebrow. "You'll make yourself sick."

The girl nodded and settled the glass back down. "You're probably right. I am starting to get quite tired."

"Do you want to go home?" he asked, gaze lingering on her wine-stained lips. He half hoped that she would say no - in this state he wouldn't be able to control himself. He questioned his reserve - was he afraid of hurting her? The thought never usually crossed his mind. To his chagrin, she nodded and began to gather her belongings.

"Yeah, that would be best," she answered, pulling her coat on. "Perhaps we could go via the market? I could make some food for us when we get back?"

Shu swallowed thickly and nodded. "Y-yeah, sure."

He watched intently as she wound her scarf around her neck. _Such sweet blood._ He shook the thoughts from his head and took in a deep breath.

"Are you alright?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.

Shu nodded and pushed himself up. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Yui grinned at him as he stood up from his armchair. "Perhaps we could invest in another bottle of wine?"

"Perhaps," he replied, smiling weakly. The sound of her heartbeat resonated in his head. They descended the stairs and headed out of the bar. Yui walked ahead of him, a happy smile plastered on her face. She swept her hair behind one ear and the pale skin of her throat was exposed to him. Shu squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, trying to rearrange his thoughts.

"Yui, you go ahead to the market. I'll wait outside," he said, stopping in his tracks.

The girl looked back at him, brows furrowed in concern. "Sure. Are you sure you're alright?"

Shu nodded, then quickly turned on his heel and headed to the exit. He burst through the door and took in a deep breath. The ice cold air coursed into his lungs and cleared the scent of her blood from his nose. He moved further away from the shopping centre and flopped down on a bench with a sigh. This was driving him mad - what was wrong with him? He rolled his head back and took in another shaky breath. As he looked upwards, the glow of the full moon reflected in his wide eyes.

-0-

Yui lifted herself onto her tip-toes and reached for the bowl on the top shelf. She hummed to herself gently as she moved about the kitchen and began serving herself the food she bought earlier for dinner. The walk back to the Manor was strange, Shu had been deathly quiet and had made himself scarce as soon as they arrived home. His mood swings confused her - he had seemed so happy when she presented him with his gift but now he was back to his usual, emotionless self. She was a little hurt by his sudden coldness, though she quickly pushed that from her mind. There was no reason to think Shu's attitude towards her would change after such a small gesture. He was still a vampire, no different from the rest of his brothers.

"Never mind," she said to herself, as she settled the steaming bowl of noodles down on the kitchen table. She took a seat and began to eat, glad of the warm food filling her belly. Initially she had thought of waiting for Shu to appear, but she doubted that he would join her. He may have just fallen asleep somewhere, she thought, as she scoffed down her food. He wouldn't starve - he was a vampire for goodness sake! Still.

Yui sighed and placed her spoon down. She hurried over to the saucepan on the stove and filled another bowl with noodles for Shu. Damn her good-nature, she thought, as she walked out of the kitchen. The house was gargantuan, he could be anywhere. The food could be cold by the time she found him! As she approached the corridor leading to the entrance hall, she heard a soft sound coming from the room two doors ahead. She halted outside of the door and tilted her head to listen to the noise.

It was music, slow and sweet. Yui closed her eyes and smiled to herself. It was a violin. She raised her hand and knocked gently on the door.

"Shu? Can I come in? I have food for you," she called. The music halted, but no reply came. "Shu?"

"Fine," his deep voice replied, curtly. Yui grimaced at his tone, but turned the doorknob and pushed her way inside.

His room was enormous. A large lounge was the first thing she encountered, the furthest wall of which was split into three separate cells. One seemed to contain a bedroom, the other a study-cum-games room and the final cell was blocked out of sight by a heavy wooden door - rather strange, considering the openness of the others. Much like the rest of the house, the furniture was ornate, ancient and dark in colour. The carpets were a deep, luxurious blue and bizarre artwork hung from the walls. But, most unlike the tidiness of the rest of the house were the stacks and stacks of papers that covered almost every surface; the floor, the bed, the chairs...

She turned her head to look at one of the papers closest to her. _Iram pande mihi Pelidae, Diua, superbi..._ This was Latin. She vaguely recognized the language from religious texts her Father used to study, though she herself had no knowledge of it. The next one she peered down at was a piece of sheet a smile on her face, she peered around the towers of archaic literature, unable to locate him.

"Shu? Where are you?"

"Here."

She jumped, hearing his voice from behind her. Placing her hand against her rapidly beating heart, she turned to see him frowning down at her. He took the bowl from her hands and walked past her without another word. Yui balked, irritated by his ignorance.

"Excuse me!" she exclaimed, turning around to face him. By this time he had already seated himself at the desk near the floor-to-ceiling length window in the study room. He was eyeing the noodles she had prepared with a dissatisfied look on his face. She noticed his freshly-strung violin was perched atop a stack of papers on the table and was inwardly pleased.

"You're excused," he said, blankly, waving his hand toward the door.

Yui flushed red with anger. "Aren't you even going to say thank you?"

"I didn't ask you to make me anything, did I?" he answered, seemingly bored. She noticed that one of his hands was clenched into a fist in his lap. On closer look, he seemed to be tense all over.

"No, you didn't. But I thought-"

"Leave."

Yui gaped at him. He didn't even bother to look at her. "What?"

Shu jumped up from his chair and strode towards her. He snatched her wrist into his hand and led her over to the door. Yui pulled out of his grasp and stood her ground defiantly.

"Get out. Now," he ordered, voice uncharacteristically shaky.

"No!" she cried, clenching her fists beside her. "It's not fair to treat me this way, Shu."

A low growl emitted from his mouth. He pushed her backwards, causing her to collide with the door, and placed his hands on either side of her head. Yui gasped as he leaned down to speak in her ear. "Look, I am trying my very best not to bleed you dry. Stay out of my way until tomorrow."

"Why - I mean, what's wrong?" she asked, confused. She jumped when he slammed his fist against the wood on the right side of her head.

"The full moon. It drives us to savagery," he replied, through gritted teeth. He pushed himself away from the door and turned away from her. "Leave me alone, unless you want to die tonight."

Yui opened her mouth to reply, but found herself speechless. She opened the door and slipped quietly away, brows furrowed in confusion. _The full moon._ The other brothers were always consistent in their unpleasantness, so it was difficult to notice any particular period of brutality. At least Shu had made an effort to keep away from her, even if he was incredibly rude about it. She headed back toward the kitchen, thoughts trying not to linger on the blonde vampire.

-0-

 _You could slit her throat and bathe in her blood._

Shu ran a hand through his hair as he paced back and forth across his study. The damn girl had only been in his room for a couple of minutes and yet her scent was everywhere. The aroma was driving him crazy - not even playing the violin was able to calm his nerves. He looked down at his hands and scowled when he noticed them trembling. This would not do.

 _You could tear her apart with your teeth._

Thirst burned his throat, thirst ordered him to find Yui. Thirst wanted to be drenched in her blood by the time the sun rose. Shu tried to push the animalistic voice from his head but found the sweet, violent ideas it whispered in his ear more appealing each minute.

 _You could bite into those sweet thighs of hers._

He let out an angry snarl and clutched his head in his hands. Usually, Shu would leave the house during a full-moon and hunt in the countryside. He appreciated the lack of cleaning up to do and there were more targets, as well as the beautiful scenery and peace that the mountain woods offered. Often he would run for hours, just to get the frantic energy out of his system. Being cooped up in the house, with Yui's stench pervading every room was doing him no good at all.

Even when he was feeding from her, Shu had never wished the girl any harm. He couldn't be bothered to deal with her reactions for the most part, but a minuscule part of him pitied her. The vampire knew what it was like to have someone precious taken from them and he could see the hurt in Yui's eyes when his brothers goaded her about her Father.

He took in a deep breath.

 _Stop holding back. You've held back your entire life, haven't you Shu?_

The image of her on her knees in front of him, blood dripping from her between her full lips.

 _Think of the taste._

Shu dropped to his knees and clutched his aching head in his hands.

 _Just take a bite._

His pupils dilated.

-0-

With a sigh, she reached across the draining board and took up the large carving knife she had used to cut meat. She would just finish the washing up, then go to her room, have a bath, then sleep. It had been a long day and she hoped that sleep would help her forget that she was alone in a house with a ravenous vampire who had threatened to tear her limb from limb.

A noise from behind her suddenly caught her attention. She placed the knife down and swirled on the spot to see the eldest Sakamaki stood in the door. He was leaning against the frame on one arm, heavy breaths wracking his chest.

"Shu! Are you okay?" she gasped, taking a few steps toward him. He looked truly dreadful - his eyes were manic, ringed with dark circles and his skin was tainted with a sickly green tinge. She stepped back an inch when she noticed the unpleasant smirk on his face, revealing his razor-sharp fangs.

 _Rip her to shreds._

"I'm thirsty," he snapped, pushing himself away from the doorframe. Every muscle in his body was tense as he stepped forward - he looked ready to attack her. "I want blood."

Yui frowned and continued to move backward as he advanced on her. She needed to get away - fast. The bloodlust in his eyes was unmistakable. "You-"

"Shut up!" he snarled, fixing her gaze with a hateful glare. He reached a hand forward and grabbed her by the back of her neck, tugging her forward so she collided with his chest. Yui struggled against him as the hand that held her twisted painfully into her hair.

"Get off!" she cried, wincing in pain. She had never seen this side of Shu. He was lazy, apathetic, careless, but never once had he shown such a cruel face. "Let me go!"

"Quiet," he growled, lowering his head to her neck. The thirst screeched in delight. "What - did you think I would play nice with my food because it brought me a present?"

 _Open her throat. Do it now!_

Yui hit at his chest, but he soon caught her wrists and crushed them together in his free hand. He tutted at her, yanking her head up so that he could look in her eyes.

"Silly girl," he hissed, smirking at her. "Don't think of yourself so highly. You are food. You mean nothing to me."

 _God, she smells good, doesn't she?_

The girl cried out as he sunk his fangs deeply into her neck. He never intentionally caused her pain when he drank from her - yet now he seemed to take delight in her struggles. What was wrong with him? A tear rolled down her face as his words echoed in her mind - you mean nothing to me. He withdrew slightly, then bit harshly into her shoulder. The second bite hurt far more than the first and a scream tore from her throat.

"Stop it, Shu! Please!" she begged, trying to wrench her hands from his grasp with little victory.

He leaned back to face her, blood dripping from his bottom lip. For a moment, he just seemed to observe her, face set in a blank expression. Suddenly lurched forward, pushing her back against the counter-top. He removed the hand from her hair and clamped it viciously around her throat. His grip tightened and she felt her windpipe crush under the pressure. Gargled, unintelligible pleas croaked out of her mouth, but seemed to fall on deaf ears.

"You're such a miserable creature," he said, smiling. The mania never left his wide stare, any former look of kindness was long gone. "Shall I put you out of your misery?"

Yui dug her fingernails into his hand, desperately trying to tear them away from her throat. She tried to scream but no sound managed to leave her mouth. Wildly, she flailed her hands around, punching out at him. As she moved, her hand brushed the knife she had placed on the countertop. Black spots began to cloud her vision - she needed to act fast. Her fingers clenched around the handle and she brought the knife up, slicing deep into Shu's hand.

The vampire yelled and jumped backwards, releasing her neck. Yui gasped and drew in a breath, clutching her damaged throat with her free hand.

"What the fuck?" he growled, looking up at her. He held his injured hand with the other, blood seeping from between his fingertips and onto the floor.

She held the knife in front of her, blade shaking as she trembled. Her voice was barely a rasp when she tried to speak. "Stay away from me, Shu."

"Don't you dare defy me, Yui," he snapped, stepping toward her. She sliced the knife through the air, forcing him backwards.

"Get back, get back!" she cried. Tears rolled freely down her cheeks. "How could you do this? How could you-?"

"How could I what, girl?" he asked, cocking his head to one side.

"You told me to stay away from you," she whispered. She was ashamed of herself for believing that Shu could be a good person, that he could care for her. It was a foolish idea.

Shu chuckled briefly, then frowned and held out his hand. "Give me the knife, Yui. Give me the knife, then give me your neck."

"No chance," she answered, holding the knife steady.

The vampire grinned and pointed a bloody finger to the window. Yui stole a quick glance then focused back on him, unwilling to give him any chance to grab her.

"There's a lot of time left until dawn," he stated, tilting his head to one side. "How long can you keep this up?"

Yui swallowed. She wouldn't be able to stave him off for much longer, that much was obvious. Her gaze wandered to the fireplace in the corner of the kitchen - she had lit a fire earlier to warm the room up. Perhaps, if her earlier observation of his fear of fire was correct, she could utilize it. She began to move slowly to her left, still holding the knife out in front of her. He rounded the room with her, still keeping his distance.

"I thought you were better than your brothers, Shu," she said, cautiously, never letting him out of her line of sight. "You've never acted like this before."

The vampire chuckled and held his bloody hand up to his face. "The thirst is always there, it just takes the moon to remind us of what we truly are."

"Monster," Yui replied, hoarsely. She stepped backward, feeling the heat of the flames tickling the back of her legs. Quickly, she looked down at her side and grabbed ahold of the wooden broom with her free hand. Shu was still seemingly occupied by his own fingers, now lapping gently at the blood.

"If that's what you want to call me, then so be it," he answered. He turned to face her and smirked. "Now, enough of this."

As he moved toward her, Yui shoved the broom backward into the fire. Seconds later, she ripped it back out, sending coals and sparks skittering across the kitchen floor. Shu jumped back as the coals hit his chest and his eyes shut as the flames rushed toward him. There was too much space between them for the fire to reach him, but the shock gave her enough time to run to the door.

She slammed the heavy wood behind her and sprinted down the corridor as fast as her legs would carry her. A head-start would do her no good, in the end. She knew that she could never out-run him. But she needed time, time to figure something out, time to-

A loud roar close behind told her it was too late. Suddenly, she was thrown to the floor and she skidded across the floorboards until she collided with the wall of the corridor. She rolled over onto her back, wheezing, the impact having winded her.

Shu smirked, striding toward her. He knelt, straddling her body with his legs and caging her torso with his arms. Slowly, he leaned closer to her, almost brushing the tip of her nose with his own.

"You're so much fun when you fight back," he hissed. Yui stared back at him, eyes blazing, fear turned to anger.

"Pathetic," she snarled back, teeth bared.

Shu paused, feeling heat redden his face. He raised one hand and struck her cheek as hard as he could muster. The girl initially cried out in pain, though quickly turned her head to look back at him, hissing in anger. Her remark caused him to lose composure and he sat up, moving one hand to grip tightly around her throat. She gasped at the sudden pressure, breath raggedly leaving her lips. Shu leaned down again, cheek resting next to hers so she could feel his lips moving against her skin.

"Pathetic, am I?" he growled, clenching his fingers tighter around her neck. She wheezed again, fingers reaching to scrabble at his hand, scratching the skin of his knuckles as she tried to remove them.

"Y-you-" she stammered, voice faint.

He lessened his grip, smirking down at her. "What? Want to talk now?"

The girl coughed, desperately drawing in staggered breaths. Shu cocked his head, fully removing his hand from her throat and placing it back next to her head. She rolled her head to the side, seemingly still recovering from the assault on her windpipe. He reached up and gripped her chin, yanking it back to face him.

"Speak up," he whispered, lips skimming her cheekbone. "Yui."

He closed his eyes momentarily and enjoyed the feeling of her writhing beneath him. Oh, how he wanted this this - months of longing for this blood, for this _sport._ The woman let out a strained cough as he leaned down to kiss her cracked lips. She didn't make a sound, didn't move - neither stopped him from enjoying the brief contact. Reluctantly, he pulled back, eyes heavily lidded. Yui looked back at him, mouth set in a hard line. For a moment, they were both still. Shu let out a heavy breath and, as he began to move, Yui let out a soft whimper. He paused and looked down at her. Her blue eyes were clenched tightly shut, though tears dripped out from the corners.

"Just-," she whispered, softly. Her eyes opened and he could see disgust behind the tears. "Just get it over with."

Shu raised an eyebrow. The thirst screamed in his head, coaxing him to drink from her. But there was another voice, one quietly questioning what she meant. Did she think that he intended to assault her? He had stolen a kiss from her after all. He froze. That was not the kind of person he wanted to be - not even the violent influence of the full moon could drive him that far. The thirst howled.

 _Stop fucking around - do it! Kill her, peel off her skin, do it, do it do-_

Shu let out and aggravated yell, slamming his fist down hard beside her head. He flipped over onto his back, laying beside her. He ran his hands through his hair as he stared up at the ceiling. The voice raged in his head and the uncontrollable burning in his throat nearly weakened his resolved, but his rationale couldn't let himself take this any further.

"Get the fuck away from me, Yui!" he spat out, still wrestling with the desire to hurt her. "Now - leave!"

The girl quickly climbed to her feet and tore off down the corridor, out of sight. He could still hear the pitter-patter of her frantic feet.

This wasn't what he wanted. He didn't want to hurt Yui, but the thirst was unbearable. Shu groaned and clenched his fists in his hair, tearing at it until pain pricked his scalp. He'd let Edgar die, he'd almost- Vampires destroyed, nothing more. He couldn't let her get close to him.

 _She would never want you now, you useless man._

He couldn't help himself, could he? He had tried to keep himself away from her, hadn't he?

 _Monster._

He was, wasn't he?


	5. Chapter 5

_Thanks for the lovely reviews all. This chapter is slightly gory, so please be aware of that before you begin reading._

-0-

-0-

Yui didn't sleep that night. She remained curled up on her bed, eyes focused on the door, Subaru's knife clenched between her trembling fingers, until the first streaks of morning began to seep in through the curtains. As soon as dawn approached, she threw open the drapes and the shutters and stood in the light. She smiled wearily as she watched the winter sun rise slowly over the trees - she would be safe now. The knife in her hand clattered to the floor as she turned and sluggishly walked back to her bed. She fell onto the soft covers with a sigh and forced all thoughts from her mind. For the time being, all she wanted was to sleep. Luckily, sleep came quickly and, for a brief moment, she was allowed to relax.

Her dreams didn't grant her the choice of such peace.

"Oi," a voice called out, barely audible through the haze of sleep. Something pushed against her shoulder, jerking her awake. "Come on, wake the fuck up."

Yui opened her eyes blearily, mouth opening widely as she let out a yawn. Who on earth could that be? Her heart jumped and she sat up quickly, beginning to panic. "Shu?"

"No, idiot, it's Yours Truly."

Her sleepy eyes focused on the speaker - Ayato. He was lounging beside her, a large, predatory grin plastered on his face. She smiled back wearily, not certain if she were ready to deal with any of the Sakamaki brothers quite yet.

"Ayato - you're back?" she asked, rubbing the sleep-dust from her eyes.

The red-head frowned at her. "Why did you think I was Shu?"

"I-"

"Did you hope I was?" he asked, irritably. He leaned in close to her, narrowing his eyes. "What have you been doing?"

"Nothing," she replied, tonelessly. It was too early to be interrogated. She still hadn't processed the events of the previous evening for herself.

He looked displeased, but didn't press her on the issue. "And yeah, we're all back. Father was called away on business so our discussions were cut short."

Yui nodded, turning her head away from him. The curtains were still drawn and she could see that darkness had fallen outside. "I see."

Ayato scowled and turned placed two fingers on her chin, tilting her head back to look at him. "What's wrong with you? You're awfully quiet. No complaining about me waking you? No telling me to get out?"

She batted his hand away from her face. Was it worth telling him about what had happened? A small part of her desperately wanted to talk to someone but she decided against it. He would only fly into a jealous rage and there was no use in that. "Nothing's wrong. I'm just tired."

He stared at her in silence for a moment, long enough to make her uncomfortable. "What happened?"

"What do you mean?" Yui asked, weakly.

"While I was away, somethin' must have happened."

"Oh!" Yui interrupted, flushing red. "N-no. There's nothing, really."

Ayato rolled his eyes and tutted at her. "You're a terrible liar."

She looked away from him. What had happened? Her encounter with Shu had left her shaken. Seeing his violent side was alarming, but what worried her more was the feeling that she had enjoyed his company in the earlier hours of the evening. Surely she wasn't becoming attached to one of her captors? So lost in her thought, she barely had time to realise that the vampire was kissing her. Ayato's free hand moved to the back of her head and held it softly, urging her to follow his lead. That bitter smell she knew to be his returned, more intoxicating than before and she complied, turning her head as he desired, letting that kiss consume her. It would not do to dwell on Shu. Ayato, despite his insistence that he saw her as nothing but food, clearly cared for her. Didn't he?

Yui opened her mouth to allow him to move his tongue against her own. She felt his smirk against her skin as their heads turned to either side. He pushed against her harder and she couldn't help but push back, unwilling to relent to him. Ayato groaned and moved his hand into her hair, twisting it between his fingers. It felt wonderful, he was captivating, soft, rough - but Yui couldn't shake the image of Shu from her head. Despite the events of last night, she imagined his fingers threading through her hair, his lips caressing her, his hair tickling her forehead. She froze as Ayato's other hand moved to the neck her blouse and tugged at it roughly, causing the top two buttons to tear and clatter to the floor. Sharply, Yui pushed him back, wincing as his hand untangled from her hair.

"Ayato, I-"

"What?" he replied, voice softer than usual. His pupils had dilated and a sight flush marked his cheeks - clearly he was more excited than he intended to let on. For all his pomp and arrogance, Ayato still acted like a teenage boy.

"This isn't-"

"It's been a long time coming, don't you think?" he snapped.

"Excuse me?"

Ayato smirked at her and tilted his head to one side. "I know you think I'm attractive."

Yui sighed irritably and stood, walking away from the bed. He followed her movement, silently. "Don't be so arrogant."

She needed to get away from him, she needed space to think. As she headed to the bathroom, Ayato grasped her wrist in his hand and pulled her into his chest. Immediately his lips crashed roughly onto hers, a far more brutal kiss than the last. Yui squealed in irritation, pushing against his chest with both her palms. They both stumbled backwards and she crashed down onto the floor. Before she could stand, he pulled her up and shoved her back against the wall.

"Ayato?" she gasped.

"Kiss me."

"What?"

"Kiss me - now. I will not ask again."

Yui flushed with anger, balling her fists at her side. A strange, small voice inside her head urged her to do it - it would be stupid to deny her attraction to him. A base attraction, certainly, but it was still ever present in her mind. She wasn't used to these feelings, or knew how to deal with them at all. But this, Ayato, wasn't what she wanted.

"You are an arrogant wretch. Get off me."

A deathly silence fell between them for an agonizingly long period. Yui's heart beat roughly against her chest - she wasn't sure if such a violent reaction was due to fear, or arousal. A dark grin spread across his face as he looked down at her.

"Silly girl."

"Ayato stop-"

"Why won't you kiss me, Yui?" he snapped. "You didn't mind so much before."

Yui tried to twist out of his grasp. "Get off!"

Ayato tugged her forward, then roughly threw her down onto the bed. He crawled up the covers, straddling her stomach. He pressed his lips roughly against hers, biting down into the kiss and drawing blood from her mouth. Yui hissed at the slight pain, pushing him back. He looked up at her through heavily lidded eyes, lips swollen from the aggressive kiss. She stared back at him, lost for words.

"Did you fuck my brother?"

"No," she whispered, pushing a hand to his chest to create distance between their bodies. "I-"

"You're mine," he replied, narrowing his eyes. He looked down at the hand pressing against his chest. "Such pretty skin."

He leant his head down and pressed his lips gently to the tender skin of her inner forearm, ignoring her cries for him to release her. His kiss turned sour after a moment, and he began to viciously bite into her, teeth tearing and chewing. Yui let out a scream as she felt her skin break under his bite, as he tore further into her skin, clamping down over the spurting blood and ripping methodically through fat, through the outer layers of skin right down through muscle and arteries and gore. Yui screamed, and didn't stop. She felt him struggle slightly with a particularly gristly area, incisors nipping sharply to work their way through. Eventually, he stopped and let out a groan of satisfaction as her blood trickled down his throat. He moved away slightly, sitting back on his heels and licking his lips in satisfaction.

"You taste better when you're frightened," he murmured, wiping the corner of his mouth with his thumb.

Yui panted heavily. The pain in her arm was unbearable. Ayato smiled down at her, rolling his head to one side. He reached forward and touched her face gently. The tenderness of his touch was terrible - how could he act with such kindness after so violently tearing her apart? She let out a pathetic whimper, flinching away from him.

"Please," she begged, voice hoarse from screaming. "Please don't."

"Every time you look at that scar, every time you feel pain, you'll only think of me," Ayato tapped her cheek lightly with the flat of his hand. "You're all mine, Yui. Don't forget that."

He pushed himself away from her and off the bed. She didn't move, but heard the door slam shut, indicating his departure. Sobs racked her chest. She turned her head to look at her arm. Her wrist was torn to shreds, skin had been stripped away leaving muscle and vein exposed. Even as blood pooled next to her head and began to seep into her hair, Yui did not move.

The violence of these brothers was too great, too constant. In her heart, she hoped that this wound would kill her. They were all the same, weren't they - even Shu had tried to hurt her. She had been kidding herself to think that any vampire could feel more than a barbaric lust for pain.

"Please God, let me die," she whispered, closing her eyes. "I can't take this anymore."

"Yui?" a voice called out from the doorway. Footsteps rushed to her side.

Yui opened her eyes and saw Shu standing above her, blue eyes wide in shock. "Don't-'

The blonde vampire knelt next to the bed, looking intently at the wound on her arm. "What happened?"

She turned her head away from him. "Ayato."

Shu's brow furrowed in anger. He gently took her arm in his hands and raised it to his eyeline, slowing the motion when she cried out in pain. "What a fool."

He lowered her arm. "Yui, I'm going to help you. I need you to stay still, okay?"

"Why do you care?" she asked, quietly. "You're the same as the rest of them."

He frowned and ignored her reply. Ayato had severely wounded her - he noticed a number of bruises blossoming on different parts of her body as well as the multiple bite marks. The idiot could have killed her if she had remained unseen to. Shu sighed to himself. Hadn't he done the same thing only a week ago? He remembered her pleas for help after she had been attacked by his brothers. Hadn't he just walked on by? He himself had attacked her only last night. What had changed?

"I'm going to get Reiji," he told her, standing up. "He should be able to assist you better than I."

Yui didn't reply, she didn't even look at him. Shu closed the door to her room behind him. His hands trembled with rage as he headed down the corridor toward Reiji's bedroom. He fought the urge to go straight to Ayato - he needed to help Yui first. He jerked open the door and stepped inside, eyes landing on his younger brother, sat at his desk.

"Knock before you come in," Reiji stated, bluntly. He placed the book he had been reading down on the table with a sigh. "What do you want?"

Shu ignored him and walked further into the room. "You need to come quickly, Yui-"

"What about her?" he replied, rolling his eyes.

The blonde scowled. "Ayato's gnawed her arm in half. She's lost a lot of blood, I need your help."

Reiji raised an eyebrow. "Do I care?"

"Unless you want to go against our Father's wishes, yes you do," he retorted, knowing exactly which of his brother's weaknesses to exploit. "He requested that she remain alive."

The brunette sighed deeply, but rose from his chair and headed toward his laboratory. "I have something that may help. Make yourself useful and stem the bleeding."

"Fine," Shu answered, relieved. He turned on his heel and headed to the door.

"Which you should have done in the first place," Reiji snapped. "You truly are useless."

Shu ignored his comment and slammed the door behind him. His brother was the one thing that truly riled him. He could barely stand to be around him for more than a minute.

 _Useless._ That was what he had been called his entire life. He felt useless. He hadn't been able to stop himself from hurting Yui, he hadn't been able to protect her from his brothers, he'd had to ask Reiji to help her. This was the second time in his life that he hadn't been able to protect a loved one. Edgar's pained screams haunted his dreams every night - he imagined the image of Yui, laying in a pool of her own blood would join them. That, or the empty, glazed over look in her eyes. He swallowed thickly and re-entered her room, rushing to the bedside.

"Yui?" he called. She looked dreadful, her face paler than before. The bloodstain had grown larger in the short time he had been gone. Hurriedly, Shu removed his cardigan and pressed it gently to her arm, following Reiji's orders. "It's going to be alright, Reiji is coming to help."

The girl whimpered as he pressed against the wound. "Please don't-"

"I'm not going to let you die, Yui," he replied, softly. His thumb stroked the bare skin of her upper arm.

"Why? Don't-" she gasped, unable to think clearly due to the blood loss. Shu paused and sighed, closing his eyes. He thought on her words from the previous evening.

"Because I don't hate you," he murmured. "I can't."

They sat in silence together, both staring at one another, until the sound of the door marked Reiji's arrival. The bespectacled brother shooed his brother away from Yui, taking a seat next to her on the bed. Shu watched as his brother began to work. Reiji tossed his stained cardigan back to him.

"You can leave, Shu," he said.

Shu didn't move, ignoring his brother. He peered down at his cardigan. In the shock of the situation, he had barely noticed the blood. There was so much of it, all over his clothes, his hands. He took in a deep breath and shook his head - _he didn't need it, he didn't need it, he-_

"Shu," Reiji called. "Leave. Now."

He nodded silently and moved out of the room, still clutching his cardigan tightly in his hands.

-0-

Shu drew in a breath and raised his hands, settling his fingers on the worn keys of the piano. These days he barely needed to concentrate on his motions to create something of beauty. _Genius._ That's what his Mother called him. He closed his eyes as a gentle tune began to fill the room. Music was his usual comfort, alongside a glass of Jameson's and a cigarette. But tonight, it echoed around the empty room, it did nothing but emphasize the strange tightness in his chest. _Useless._

The thirst had quietened, but he could still smell her, he still wanted to feed. The music grew louder as more memories filled his head. She was there, in his bed, on his sofa, in the bathroom, in the corridor - everywhere. There was nothing left that she hadn't touched, that she hadn't filled with her scent. The tune faltered as his hands shook. He drew in a breath and continued - one, two, three. One, two, three- He ran a hand through his hair and let out an irritated sigh. With a flick of his wrist he dashed his notes to the floor - this would not do. Nothing but perfection would. He stared at the ivory keys with wide eyes for a moment - what was she doing to him? He stopped playing, raising one hand to reach for his whiskey. The liquid burned as it coursed down his throat and caused him to hiss as he placed the glass back on the lid of the piano.

He would apologize to her when she awoke, but that was it. This strange infatuation had to end, before he ended up truly hurting her.

Shu began playing again, pushing all thought from his mind. Music would help. Music always helped.

-0-

"Can you hear me Yui?" Reiji asked, placing a hand on her forehead.

The girl opened her eyes slowly. "Reiji?"

"Yes," he replied, standing up from the bed. "I've stitched your arm."

"You've-?" Yui turned her head and looked at her arm, which was raised on a pillow next to her head. A thick bandage was wound tightly around the injured area. The wound still smarted, but the pain had significantly lessened. "How?"

Reiji sighed and removed his glasses. He began to clean the glass with the bottom of his shirt. "It was difficult to patch it back together, but the potion I sealed it with should assist with the healing. You've lost a lot of blood, you'll need to rest for a few days."

The vampire turned away from her and collected his bag. Yui smiled weakly at him. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me. We can't have you dying, not yet," he said, coolly. Yui's smile faltered - of course. His actions always had an ulterior motive. Just like the rest of them, he didn't care. "Don't let this happen again."

She looked away from him, choosing not to reply. It wasn't as if she could stop any of them from hurting her, she was weak compared to the strength of a vampire. The Sakamaki brother left the room without a word. Yui couldn't bring herself to cry anymore - what good would it do? She had wept over her situation long enough and it made little difference. This was her life now. As she closed her eyes to sleep, she made her choice. No more crying, no more weak-willed little girl. No, if these brothers wanted to act like savages, then she wouldn't make it easy for them to overwhelm her. She would fight and kick and scream - it didn't matter that they would inevitably overcome her, she could not lose her resistance.


	6. Chapter 6

_His slim fingers skim softly over her spine. He presses lightly against each individual vertebra, playing her sighs with masterful talent. She turns onto her back and moans as he continues to explore her body with his fingertips. He strokes over her breasts, down, over her stomach. She opens her mouth and pleads for him to kiss her, or at least to make a sound-_

"Wake up."

Yui's eyes fluttered open to the sound of a deep voice above her. She felt strange. She felt warm, almost comfortable if it weren't for the slight ache that still ran through her arm. As her eyes adjusted, she found herself gazing at the red-haired Sakamaki brother, who was standing at the side of her bed. Death himself, perhaps, trussed up to the nines, come to take her away? A rush of memories from the previous evening hit her. As she looked away from him she noted the coarse white bandage that had been wrapped around her wrist.

"I'm not dead, then," she mumbled, half to herself, half out loud. The young man raised an eyebrow and snorted. He turned slightly and pointed towards a table that was situated near the armchairs to the side of her room.

"Very funny. Breakfast," he stated.

The top was laden with what looked like enough food to feed an army - scrambled eggs, sizzling, fat bacon, toast, muffins bursting at the seams with dribbling blueberries, jars of preserves and mountains of colourful fruit sat perfectly, as if taken straight from the pages of a show-home magazine. Were it not for the tantalising smell, she might have thought the display to be fake. But no, there it was, the smell positively overwhelming her, calling to the tastebuds on her tongue. Instantly, her deprived stomach began to rumble and her eyes lit up. She looked at Ayato, uncertain. He smirked back at her, without saying a word.

"What is this?" she asked, stepping out of bed. She was careful to stay on the opposite side to the vampire.

"I already told you," he replied, with a scowl. "Now sit down."

Yui frowned, but made her way quietly to the table. As she walked, she noticed how sluggish she felt. Presumably, she had lost a fair amount of blood yesterday and it had taken its toll on her body. She grabbed a plate and began to laden as much food as possible onto it, savouring the various smells wafting into her nose. It would do her good to eat - she would need her strength. After she judged the plate could take no more, she seated herself in a leather armchair and placed her food on the table in front of her. Her Father used to make scrambled eggs in the same way; light and fluffy, laced with pepper. As she picked up her knife and fork, she hesitated for a moment; these were _not_ her Father's eggs.

"Eat," Ayato said, sharply, drawing her attention away from the food.

She had failed to noticed his presence, now seated in the armchair beside her. Her eyes narrowed slightly, looking back to her plate warily. This had never happened before - why was he so intent on getting her to eat? The man sighed and leaned forwards to pick up her fork, before spearing a portion of scrambled eggs and shoving them in his mouth. He dropped the piece of cutlery and pointed to his mouth, as he chewed comically. After he swallowed the mouthful, he opened his lips and revealed his clean tongue.

"Ta da. I'm still alive."

Yui pursed her lips at his mocking, grabbing her fork back from his side of the table. After another moment of watching the breakfast, she was sure it wasn't going to attack her and relented. Without further pause, she tore through the food on her plate. Ayato watched her intently for a moment, almost disgusted at the rate she was eating, though eventually he turned his eyes up to the ceiling and let out a small sigh. He reached into his pocket and removed a shiny silver case that held his favourite brand of cigarette. Plucking one of the little tubes from its holding, he moved it to his lips and flicked open his lighter. She watched the end of the cigarette burst into flames for a second, before dying down and bubbling into a stream of thick smoke. The man drew in a deep breath, raising his eyebrow at her stares. There was something oddly erotic about smoking. It reminded her of the finely dressed gentlemen in the black and white films her Father used to show her. The way the smoke billowed from his full lips and lingered in the air, dancing in strange shapes, was very sensual, very appealing to watch.

"What're you lookin' at?" he questioned, smoke tendrils curling out of his mouth as he spoke. Yui finished a mouthful of buttery toast, dropped the crust onto her plate and moved to pull a napkin from the pile in the centre of the table. She wiped the crumbs from her lips and ran her tongue across the front of her teeth, trying to dislodge rogue pieces of tomato that had become stuck.

"You're not eating?" she asked, voice distorted as she continued to suck at her teeth. She had so many questions for him - why was she here? Why was he being kind to her? But all she could think of in that moment was why he wasn't eating. Her cool veneer was entirely a facade - inside she was terrified.

"No. It's half past eleven, I ate while you were still sleeping," he replied, placing the cigarette back between his lips. The girl grimaced - had he fed from her whilst she slept? She wiped her mouth on the napkin again, before picking up her cutlery once more. The rest of the meal was taken in near-silence, only the sounds of her eating and his slow, smoky breaths pervading the room. It was unnerving - the vampire was usually energetic to the point of being an annoyance. She placed her knife and fork across her plate and settled back into the armchair, letting out a satisfied sigh, her hands coming to rest on her now-full tummy. Ayato leant forward to stub his cigarette out on the ash-tray in front of him.

"Reiji said he pieced you back together," he said, quietly, eyes flicking to look at her.

She unconsciously moved to touch her forearm. "Yes, he did."

"Good," he said, lip curling into a smirk. "I'm glad you're not dead."

Yui frowned, growing angry. "No thanks to you. You left me here!"

The vampire glared back at her. She noticed that his hands clenched on the arms of the chair. "Yes, Reiji told me that as well. Shu found you."

 _Did you fuck my brother?_ Yui grimaced to herself, watching silently as Ayato pushed himself to a standing position and kicked his foot against the side of the chair in a careless manner. She knew he thought of her only as a possession and he despised the idea that she might be taken by someone else.

"I'm not yours, Aya-"

"Shut it, Pancake," he interrupted. "You should know that I intend to take you as my sacrificial bride."

The girl froze, colour draining from her face. "Excuse me?"

"You are mine, I told you," he said, grinning slowly. "I am the one who has taken the most blood from you. I am the one who has gotten _closest_ to you."

"But why?" she exclaimed, confused. "Why would you want to?"

"I want to take up the mantle as head of the family. I want to inherit the title of Demon Lord. And, more than anything, I want to keep you and your blood all to myself. It's too sweet to share with my brothers."

"That isn't fair!" Yui answered. She let out an irritated sigh – as usual, everything was about what _he_ wanted, what _he_ desired. "What about my say in this?"

Ayato rolled his eyes. "You don't get one, Pancake."

Yui cried out in exasperation, running her hands through her hair. "You're unbelievable! First you try to tear my arm off, now you want to marry me?"

"Everything I do to you has the same level of affection behind it. You're good blood. Don't start thinkin' that you're something more than that to me," he said, with a shrug.

His ignorance tried her patience to the limit. She had always been pleasant, always tried to do as best she could in her current situation and still she didn't matter one jot to the brothers – so long as they got their fill when they wanted it. Yui stood up from the armchair and walked toward the bathroom, half-laughing. If she didn't laugh, she feared she would cry. That or she would finally go insane.

"I need to get a shower."

Ayato stopped her, grabbing hold of her arm before she could walk past him. Yui hissed loudly as his fingers clamped over one of the bruises he had left there the previous evening. Surprisingly, the boy released her and didn't try to grab her again. He frowned, looking at her with concern. _Mock concern,_ she reminded herself.

"Are you okay?" he asked, raising a hand toward her. He stopped his movement halfway and let it drop to his side, cheeks flushing slightly. "I did that, didn't I?"

"Yes," she replied, tonelessly. "And you'll probably do it again."

"Come on, Pancake, I-"

Yui silenced him with a wave of her hand. His nostrils flared in anger, but he remained quiet. "I thought you were nice, at first. You helped me and, well, I thought that maybe you were different. But of course you're not! You're just like the rest. So is Subaru, so is Shu – you're all monsters."

He looked down at the floor, expression a touch downcast. Yui would have felt sorry for saying such hurtful sentiments if she were not so set on sticking to her resolve. Eventually, he looked back at her. "Why should I think of you as anything more than food?"

"Because you – ugh! Why would you heal my wounds and- and d-do… _that_ to me if you only thought of me as food?" she cried, speaking so fast she stumbled over her words.

Ayato opened his mouth to speak, but found himself speechless. Why had he been so intimate with her – to him, she was nothing. He froze, in the sudden realisation that he may have developed some sort of feeling toward his walking blood-bag. Shaking, his head, the vampire sauntered toward the door to the hallway, shoving his hands deep into his blazer pockets.

"Go and take a shower, you're a mess. I'll come and find you later."

Yui flinched as he slammed the door behind him. She shook her head, confused. What had all that been about? He'd never brought her breakfast before, why was today any different? She highly doubted that it was a poor shot at an apology for hurting her yesterday – no, he'd made it quite clear he didn't give a damn about that. The way he left without answering her question was interesting. And his expression when he left – he looked almost confused. Yui smiled to herself as she wandered into the bathroom and locked the door behind her. Perhaps he had seen the error of his ways? She laughed to herself – yeah, sure, and pigs can fly.

It was imperative that she did not let herself forget what he had done to her. She turned the hot tap over the bath on and watched as the steaming water gushed out. Her body certainly wouldn't let her forget what he had done, every part of her ached. She turned to the mirror that was placed over the sink and shed her night-gown. The span of the bruises was worse than she thought. Black and yellow marked the skin of her legs, upper arms and neck. Certain areas were dotted with red pocks, left over fang scars that would not wash away. She sighed and reached for the large bottle of bubble bath on the counter. Ayato was right – she was a mess.

She moved back to the bath and checked the temperature with her little finger. Bathing had always been her preferred method of relaxation. There was nothing quite like closing her eyes, slipping under the warm, perfumed water and drifting off to some imaginary land. Some place far better than this. She emptied the last of the bottle into the water, reminding herself to ask Reiji for more. Bubbles sprang up from amongst the froth as she lowered herself into the water, shutting off the tap as she hit the bottom of the tub.

Yui let out a soft sigh. It had been a while since she had found any peace. The last time she felt like this must have been in that strange little bar with Shu. She shut her eyes as the image of the older brother filled her head. _Monster._ But, was he? Both he and Ayato had done something to comfort her, though Shu's had been far less _forward_ than his brothers. They had both hurt her. But – Shu had tried to stop himself in the first instance. He had stopped himself even after losing control. Ayato hadn't even tried to hold back, in fact, quite the opposite. The latter whole-heartedly admitted to enjoying her pain.

She frowned. Did that matter? Both had hurt her, did she consider one violence to be more valid than another, simply because it had been executed reluctantly? No, of course not. Perhaps she really was losing her mind. She slipped under the water, closing her eyes as it passed over her head. After a couple of seconds under, she pushed herself back up, wiping the excess water from her eyes.

Sacrificial bride, huh? Before stumbling blindly into the Sakamaki mansion, she had always thought she would get married one day, perhaps have children. She used to like looking after the little ones at the Church crèche. But the thought of being married to one of these brothers sent shivers down her spine. It would hardly be an equal partnership – she imagined waiting on Kanato hand and foot as he screamed at her, or being lashed by Reiji for failing to impress. Laito would probably chain her to the bed. Ayato would be a jealous lover, keeping such a close eye on her that she would suffocate. Subaru – she was unsure. He had moments of tenderness, but these were spoiled by his unpredictable temperament. Shu was unfriendly, he was quiet and occasionally rude. But-

 _I don't hate you, Yui. I can't._

Could she really stand to be married to him? He gave her space, he could be considerate when he wanted to, he could be passionate – he certainly was about music. He was intelligent and handsome. But he could be violent, he was often ignorant and, more importantly, he was still a vampire. One of the undead, a sinful, dark creature - that was what mortal folklore told, at least. No such creature would be worth abandoning her faith for.

She thought on the dream she had before Ayato woke her. How she had hoped that Shu would speak to her in that smooth, intimidating baritone. His hands had played her body so well - how had he done it? She smoothed her fingers down her chest, drawing small circles around her breast. Her other hand moved lower, gently running over her cunt.

 _He would take his time, encouraging her to cry out. He would stay silent, wanting to hear her-_

"Shu," she hummed lightly to herself.

"Yes?"

Yui shrieked when she heard his deep voice reply from across the room. She slipped under the water in a fluster, quickly pushing herself upright. Gasping slightly, she wrapped her arms around her chest and drew her legs up to cover her body.

"What are you doing here?" she cried, face flushing a deep red. She shook the water from her face and caught sight of the top of his head. He was leaning against the side of the bath, facing away from her, legs stretched out in front of him. Yui relaxed slightly – at least he wasn't looking at her.

"You called my name, I thought you wanted me," he said. He rolled his head back against the edge of the bath, eyes closed. Yui noticed the smirk that rose on his face. "I was right."

The girl spluttered, shrinking back until her back hit the other side of the tub. "You were mistaken!"

He chuckled lightly, turning his head to the side though keeping his eyes closed. Yui stared at him, as they sat in silence together. He looked handsome when he was calm, lips turned up in a small grin. It was nothing compared to the genuine smile he had given her in the bar, an image she longed to see again. The bath water started to cool her skin and she wished to dry off.

"Um, Shu. Could you leav-"

"Quiet, please," he cut in, with a sigh. Yui pouted, leaning back in the water. Eventually, he broke the silence. "How is your arm?"

"Oh. Um, it's as good as it can be after what happened," she replied, slightly surprised he was concerned about her. "Thank you for helping me."

Shu shrugged and looked forward again, opening his eyes. "I didn't do anything. It was Reiji."

She tried to recall her hazy memories from the previous evening. Yes, it had been Reiji's cold, clinical voice that she heard in her disoriented state, his hands sewing her back together. Shu had - what had Shu done? Yui furrowed her brow. He was the one who found her, wasn't he? As she stared at him, she noticed that he was only wearing his blue shirt. A vague flicker of images ran through her mind. _His frantic motions, worried eyes, his voice telling her to keep calm as he pressed down against her wound-_

"I'm sorry for getting your cardigan bloody."

The man snorted. "You nearly bleed to death and you're apologising for getting my clothes dirty? That is so very like you."

Yui looked down at her arm and sighed. "I suppose it is."

An odd idea formed in her head. She took in a deep breath – seeing his reaction to this might be quite intriguing. She cupped her hands and skimmed them over the top of the bath water, sending a torrent splashing down on the top of his head. Immediately, he jumped up and turned around to her.

"What the hell was that for?" he exclaimed, glaring at her.

She wrapped her arms back around her chest, giggling. Shu stared at her silently, not sure how to react. The vampire's anger quickly dissipated as he took in her naked body. He smirked at her.

"Turn around!" she said, through her laughter.

"No," he replied, cocking his head. "As I'm already wet, I might as well-"

Her eyes widened as he strode forward, then placed a foot over the rim of the bath and dropped down beside her. Yui shrieked, moving as far away from him as she could. "What are you doing? Get out!"

"You were the one who got me wet," he answered, gazing at her coolly. "You shouldn't have done that."

The girl scowled at him, pulling her legs up tight against her chest. "I didn't want you to get in, I wanted you to go away so I could dry off."

Shu yawned pointedly and leaned back against the edge of the bath, eyes fluttering shut. "You're so noisy. Just relax."

"How can I relax with you in here?"

The vampire opened one eye lazily. "Do I make you nervous?"

Yui scoffed. "No, of course not. It's just-"

Shu sat swiftly upright, then leaned close to her. His long legs stretched out on either side of her body, penning her in and she stiffened when she felt his hands settle on her ankles. Suddenly, he dragged her forward, so she collided with his chest. Shu stopped himself from groaning as his hands steadied her body, one arm wrapping around her waist. His face was so close now that she could feel his breath on her cheek. Yui stammered out an incoherent noise when she felt those delicate fingers dig into her hip, but found herself unable to look away from him. He was staring at her intently, watching her reactions.

"Do I make you nervous?" he repeated, slowly.

Yui swallowed thickly, letting out a hushed whimper as the hand on her waist moved to the small of her back. His voice was richer at this proximity, something about it sent her heart racing. She liked the way his blue shirt clung to torso due to the water, emphasizing his lean physique.

"Answer me, Yui," Shu murmured.

"Y-yes," she whispered.

His right hand moved from her hip to rest on the back of her neck. Shu was quietly pleased that she was reacting with such obvious arousal to his limited actions. He was trying his hardest to keep calm, to keep from throwing her across the countertop and taking her, as he gently moved her hair to one side.

"I want to-" Shu began. He paused, staring at the black marks marring her throat.

Yui opened her eyes when she felt him still his movements and she was shocked to find a furious expression on his face. He let out an agitated sigh and rubbed his thumb gently over her neck, eliciting a soft moan from Yui.

"You remain so obedient, even when we hurt you," he said, quietly.

Shu's hand dropped from the small of her back to rest on his knee. The girl was littered in bruises and bite marks - some from his brothers and some, he realised, from him. This always happened to the things he cared for. Edgar, his Mother, his violin, now Yui. His clumsy, useless hands were only designed to break things, he could never hold anything precious. The man stiffened and retracted his other hand from Yui's neck.

"Shu?" the girl asked, snapping him out of his thoughts. She hesitantly raised a hand and settled it on his cheek. "Are you okay?"

The vampire flinched at her soft touch and turned his head away. He didn't want to hurt her anymore than he already had. As much as he would have liked to continue, as much as he genuinely _wanted_ her - he needed to stay away from her, for her own good. "Don't do that."

She looked at him worriedly. "Oh, sorry, I-"

Her words were cut off by Shu suddenly standing, sending a cascade of water over her. Yui wiped the droplets away from her face and watched silently as he stepped out of the bath and onto the mat. He didn't seem to care about his sodden clothes, or the way he trailed water across the tiles. Her heart dropped in dismay. She followed him out of the bath, grabbing a towel to wrap around her body.

"Shu, I'm sorry, I-"

"Stop apologising," he retorted, harshly. When he turned back to look at her she noticed how weary he look. His jaw was tense, but his eyes were downcast and glazed over. "Don't think that my actions last night were anything more-"

"Shu, please-" she began, holding out a hand to touch his shoulder. He took a step back and glared at her.

"-than preserving my next meal," he finished. Yui's hand lowered to her side and she could feel tears welling up behind her eyes. She closed them quickly, though he had already noticed. Shu ran a hand through his hair, damning himself in his mind. This was a necessary evil, she would be better off not getting involved with him. "You're just food."

"No, I'm not," Yui replied, sadness straining her voice. "You don't believe that."

Shu stared at her silently for a moment, resisting the urge to reach out to her. Instead, he let out a long sigh, turned, and headed for the door. "Tiresome."

He left the room without looking back at her, placing his headphones back in his ears. As he headed back toward his room, he jammed his hands deep into his pockets and tried to concentrate on the music filling his head. He was experienced in blanking his mind after all these years - it was easy to lose himself in the symphonies and arias he loved so dearly. With his head down, he entered his room, slamming the door behind him. There was little else to do now but sleep. He was so very tired.


	7. Chapter 7

_Hope everyone is having a lovely Christmas! Please be aware that there is smut in this chapter. This also isn't the last chapter - there are a few more to go still. The next one will be out in a couple of days._

-0-

"Yes!" Laito shouted, grabbing the air with his free hand. He laid down his pool cue and turned to his brothers, giving them a dramatic bow. "Another win for the best man."

"You're a dirty player," Ayato grumbled. "You pushed me and made me miss that shot."

"He's a dirty everything," Kanato chimed in, giggling childishly behind Teddy.

Yui rolled her eyes and looked back at her book. The brothers were having their weekly post-dinner games night. It was strange to see them act so casually around one another, there was often so much tension between them. Reiji was sat in the corner, staring intently at his laptop, only entering the conversation every now and then to tell them to shut up. The triplets were excitedly moving from the pool table to the dart-board, arguing about who would take the first turn. Subaru was sat next to Yui, watching the triplets with a grimace on his face. Shu was situated in the corner of the room, splayed out on the sofa, seemingly asleep.

She kept glancing over at the eldest Sakamaki. If she were alone in the room, she would have tried to speak to him but she daren't go over with the rest of them present.

"Oi, Pancake!" Ayato called. He jabbed his thumb toward the pool table. "Want a game of pool? Those two wanna play darts."

Yui looked over the top of her book. "No thanks, Ayato. I'm not very good-"

The red-haired vampire yanked the book from her hands and tossed it over his shoulder. "Then I'll teach you."

Subaru scowled at his brother. "You are such an asshole."

Ayato glared back at him and pulled Yui up from her chair. "Fuck you."

She groaned as he tossed her a cue and began to arrange the balls on the table. "Do I have to do this?"

"Well, I could suck your blood if you prefer?" he retorted, looking at her innocently.

Yui sighed. "I'll play, I'll play."

"What's your wager?" he asked, removing the plastic triangle from around the balls.

"If I win, you leave me alone forever?"

"No dice. How about if I win, I get to fuck you on the pool table?"

"Absolutely not!"

Shu and Reiji both snorted in derision at her remark. Ayato glared at the blonde brother, but decided not to comment.

"You're such a bore," he said to Yui, with a smirk. "Right, you wanna go first?"

"No, you go right on ahead," she said, sarcastically. She turned around as he took his place at the end of the table and gave Subaru a look of mock contempt. The white-haired brother chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest. He noticed the girl had grown more courageous and outgoing over the past few weeks. It was a pleasant change he found he rather liked.

"You're up, Komori," Ayato said, pulling her to the table by the back of her jumper. He leaned in close to her. "You're yellow, I'm red."

"Fitting," Subaru commented, grinning at his brother.

Yui lined up her cue with the white ball and lowered her head down to aim. She was never any good at this - it was bound to be a short game. She sharply hit the ball, which launched itself into a yellow. The two balls hit the side of the table and, by sheer luck, the yellow dropped into a corner pocket. The girl jumped up excitedly, laughing to herself.

"Yes!" she cried, moving round the other side of the table for her follow up shot.

"Lucky shot," Ayato grumbled.

"You know I think that's the first time I've heard you laugh, Little Bitch," Laito called out, from across the room. "It's far better than your sniffling."

"It's a pretty sound," Kanato agreed, hugging Teddy close to his chest as he moved out of the way of the dart-board to let his brother pass.

"It's not her best sound," Ayato gloated, winking at her. He let out a high-pitched moan whilst making a lewd face. "That one's better."

Yui flushed a deep red and whacked him on the arm with her pool cue. "That isn't funny."

Laito roared with laughter as he played his turn, missing the dart-board completely. The dart headed toward the sofa upon which Shu lay, asleep. Yui gasped and called out his name, pushing past Ayato, who balked at her. The dart narrowly missed Shu's head, instead puncturing the arm of the sofa.

The eldest brother sat up slowly and plucked the dart from the leather. He flicked his fingers back and sent it flying back toward Laito, who quickly ducked. The dart caught his head, causing it to be pulled off his head and sent skittering to the floor.

"Oops, sorry Shu," Laito said, seemingly unconcerned by his brother's reaction.

Shu shrugged in response and turned away. He glanced at Yui before closing his eyes. "Don't be so loud."

She looked at him as he turned away to sleep, a little upset by his reaction. The mood in the room quickly returned to normal, with Kanato screaming at Laito after being beaten and Reiji angrily shouting at them all to stop ruining the furniture.

Subaru watched Yui silently as she continued her game of pool against his brother. Something had changed since the Sakamaki's went away - both Yui and Shu seemed tense around one another. He had heard that his elder brother saved Yui from losing too much blood a few nights ago, but he hadn't thought any more of it.

Ayato set his cue back down on the table with a victorious cry. "I win!"

Yui sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Obviously. I told you, I'm not very good at this game."

The triplet approached her, backing her roughly into the pool table. "And now to take my prize."

"Hey, I didn't ag-"

She was cut off by him pressing his lips hard against hers. Yui squealed into his mouth as Laito's cheering and Kanato's noises of disgust filled the room. Reiji groaned and snapped his laptop shut before storming out of the room, muttering complaints under his breath.

Subaru watched for Shu's reaction and was surprised to see him glaring at the pair, one of his fists clenched at his side. Ayato pulled away from Yui, laughing as the girl slapped his chest and shouted at him. The blonde stood up from the sofa and shoved his hands into his pockets as he strode quickly out of the room.

"Must you be so noisy," he complained, quietly. There was a hint of anger in his tone.

How odd, Subaru thought to himself, how very odd.

-0-

Two weeks had passed and she had barely seen the blonde vampire. They had passed each other once or twice in the corridor, but he always continued walking past her without word. It was obvious he was ignoring her. Yui stared down at her dinner plate and pushed the food around with her fork. How foolish. She placed her cutlery down and crossed her arms over her stomach. It shouldn't matter - it didn't matter! She pushed the image of him to the back of her mind, along with the memory of his hands on her body.

"Oi, Pancake, get over here. I want a drink!"

Yui groaned, turning her head to see Ayato bursting through the door. He had been pestering her near constantly. Although he drank from her almost every day, he had refrained from hurting her any more than necessary, much to her relief. In fact, he seemed dedicated to bringing her breakfast, lunch and dinner and spending as much time with her as he could. He had even brought her a bunch of flowers - he presented them awkwardly, but the thought behind his action was pleasant. Strange, she thought, but a nice change of pace. He pulled her up from her seat and tugged her close to him, grinning at her with a greedy glint in his eye. She glared back at him, pushing him firmly away and pointing to her neck.

"You drank from me an hour ago, Ayato," she said, placing her hands on her hips. "You can't have any more today."

The boy pouted. Yui rolled her eyes - he was like a child sometimes. He grabbed at her again, but she swiftly stepped backwards. The red-head frowned and stepped forward again - she retaliated by stepping back.

"C'mon Pancake! I'm still thirsty!" he whined. They ran across the dining hall, her dodging his swipes, him trying to block her from running. "Get back here!"

Yui found herself laughing. It was a strange situation, almost as if they were playing a playground game of cat and mouse. She rounded the edge of the table, facing opposite him. Each time he dove left, she would move right, always remaining exactly opposite. The vampire growled, but she noticed a playful smirk beneath his excitement.

"Time to give up?" Yui asked, with a chuckle.

Ayato scoffed. "Never."

With lightning speed, he jumped onto the table and bounded across to the other side. Yui barely had time to gasp before he pounced on top of her and they both toppled to the floor. He caged her between his arms and legs and let out a laugh before nipping her neck with his fangs.

"Gotcha!" he exclaimed, tongue darting out to taste her skin.

Yui huffed and turned her head away from him as he stabbed into a vein to drink. "That was - ow - unfair."

He raised his head to look at her, wiping a dribble of blood from his lower lip. "Did you really expect Yours Truly to play nice? Now lemme get your hair outta' the way."

The vampire stroked the blonde curls gently behind her ear, leaving her throat fully exposed to him. He stroked a finger down the side of her neck and smiled as she shivered. In order to give him more room, she rolled her head to the side, so the open doorway was in line with her gaze. Ayato dug his fangs back into her skin, causing her to gasp. She gripped the back of his head gently, fingers settling into his hair.

As he drank her blood, she noticed a figure walk past the door. The person stopped and, when she looked up from the floor, she saw it was Shu. Her face paled when she saw his expression. He didn't look angry. he didn't look upset - he looked like he couldn't care less.

Unbeknownst to Yui, the vampire atop her followed her gaze as he drank. Ayato watched his brother enter the hallway and caught his eye, winking at him. Shu stared back without reacting. Ayato peered down at Yui and narrowed his eyes as he noticed her distraught expression, but he said nothing.

With an impassive final glance, Shu turned away from them and headed down the corridor and out of sight.

-0-

The eldest Sakamaki raised his head and smoothed his hands over his face. Slowly, he sat up straight and lifted the piano lid, revealing the pristine keys. He had retreated to his room after seeing Ayato and Yui on the floor of the dining hall. Though he remained silent, a feeling of disgust washed over him at the thought of it. He poured himself another glass of whiskey, taking a sharp sip then setting it on the top of the piano.

 _Why was she laughing with him? Why did she turn her head to let him bite her?!_

Shu sighed and settled his hands back on the keys of his piano. It was not his place to care. He didn't care. He didn't care. _He didn't care._

The man winced as his fingers twitched over the incorrect key and a discordant sound filled the room. He took in a deep breath and began again. _One, two, three. One, two, three._ He was not a jealous creature when it came to food, so why was he feeling like this? The sweet music he produced made him feel sick. Rationally, he knew exactly why he hated seeing his brother with Yui, why he wanted to keep her all to himself and it had nothing to do with her blood. He reached for the glass of whiskey on the top of the piano and gulped it down. The spicy liquid hit the back of his throat roughly and sent his blood rushing.

The music faltered again and Shu let out an angry yell, hitting his fists down on the keys. He couldn't feel like this, it was wrong. He was bad for her. Everything he wanted went wrong, or broke, or _burned-_

He stood up sharply, causing the piano stool to tip over on its side. The vampire looked around his room, eyes burning with anger. All these notes, years of being forced to stay inside and learn useless information, what was the point? His Mother had given him everything to try and make him the best, the brightest, the most brilliant - but still he was utterly _useless._ He clutched his hair in his hands and let out an anguished growl. In a fit of rage, the vampire began to tear at the stacks of paper around his room and throwing them to the floor.

"Shu, what the fuck man?"

The blonde swivelled to face the source of the voice and found Subaru leaning casually against the door to his room. He pushed himself away from the frame and shut the door behind him as he headed into the room. Subaru looked at the mess, the half empty bottle of whiskey on the piano and Shu's manic expression and chuckled darkly.

"Are you drunk?" he asked, smirking.

Shu sighed irritably and turned away from his brother, throwing himself down on the leather sofa in the centre of his room. "Shut up."

"C'mon, Shu," Subaru began, walking to the piano and grabbing the bottle. "You got another glass?"

The blonde waved dismissively toward the shelves near the window. Subaru retrieved a glass and poured them both another drink before settling them on the table in front of Shu. He sat in the armchair opposite and leaned forward, arms resting on his knees.

"What do you want, Subaru?" Shu groaned, picking up the glass. He winced as the whiskey seared his tongue.

"Take it slow, man," he replied, frowning. Shu glared at him and took another large gulp. A trickle of the liquid ran down his chin and dripped onto the sofa. "You're such a fucking slob."

"Screw you. Give me the bottle, then answer my question," the blonde replied, shoving the empty glass to the other side of the table.

Subaru laughed incredulously, but passed his brother the whiskey. "What's gotten into you? You're acting like me."

Shu snorted, bringing the mouth of the bottle to his lips. He paused and spoke before taking another long drink. "Yui."

His brother raised an eyebrow and gave him a knowing smile. "Yeah, I thought as much. It's obvious you want her, Shu."

"I do not _want_ her, asshole," he snapped in response.

"Pfft, I'm not an idiot. You can be as stoic as you like, I see how you look at her. Fuck, I see how you look at Ayato these days. He didn't used to bother you - now you look like you're going to tear his fucking head off every dinner time."

Shu scowled and leaned his head back to look at the ceiling. "They are none of my concern. I couldn't care less about Yui."

"Then why are you so upset?" Subaru asked, taking a sip of his drink.

The older brother paused, trying to gather his confused thoughts. "Because, I-"

"Don't bullshit me."

Shu let out an angry growl. "Because she confuses me, alright?"

"Right, sure," Subaru responded, sarcastically. "I think you 'confuse' her too."

His face paled and he turned his head to look at his brother. "What?"

"Are you so drunk you don't know what I'm talking about?"

"Fuck off."

Subaru sighed and leaned back in his chair. "You're impossible. In simple terms; she wants you too."

Shu grunted and took another swig from the bottle. "Yeah, I know."

"Then why aren't you doing anything about it?"

The older brother sat up straight and settled the whiskey down on the table. "Because everyone and everything that comes close to me ends up dead, or fucked up."

"Don't be so melodramatic," Subaru replied, rolling his eyes. "Is this that Edgar thing still-?"

"Don't talk about that," he snapped. Subaru sighed, but kept quiet, watching his brother intently. "It will do Yui no good to be with someone as careless as me. I'd only let her down. Besides, I already told her I think she's just a piece of meat, so-"

"You stupid bastard, why the fuck did you do th-?"

"Because I want her to hate me!" Shu cried, running a hand through his hair. He calmed down slightly, a resigned expression on his face. "It's easier like that."

Subaru rested his glass on the table. The two brothers sat in silence together for a while. The Sakamaki's were not the closest family, but they had their preferred relationships. Reiji kept to himself, too interested and enveloped in his side businesses to care about his brothers. Laito and Ayato were a boisterous pair who played off one another well, until they both tired themselves out. Shu and Subaru were fairly isolated creatures, but they appreciated each other's company. They would sit in silence on some days, one reading, one listening to music. On other days, they would drink in the town and then hunt the darkened streets together. And Kanato - well, Kanato had Teddy.

"You know Ayato wants to take her as his bride," Subaru said, breaking the peace.

Shu looked up at him wearily. "Yeah, I gathered."

"And you're just going to let that happen?"

The blonde nodded. "There's nothing else I can do."

"Fucking hell, Shu," Subaru hissed. "If you think you're bad for her, just think about him."

"She likes him as well, doesn't she? So it's fine."

"If you're worried about destroying things close to you - Edgar died because of a fire that wasn't your fault. Ayato murdered his own Mother!"

Shu sighed, closing his eyes. The whiskey caused a hazy feeling to fill his head. He didn't care any more - he didn't want to think straight. "It's not my problem."

Subaru stood up from the armchair in disgust. "You're such an asshole."

The youngest Sakamaki stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him in a rage. Shu smiled wearily to himself, hearing Subaru rant as he walked down the corridor. Eventually, the noise quietened and he was left alone. He opened his eyes and sank lower into the pillows of the sofa. It was a horrible night. Rain spattered against the windows heavily and caused a dreadful din to echo around the entire house. Automatically, Shu raised his headphones to his ears to drown out the noise.

-0-

Ayato looked up from Yui's neck and back down at her. She turned her head back to him, frowning at the angered look on his face.

"People say romance is dead," he hissed, leaning in to her ear. "Have I not been the picture of goodness the past fortnight? Haven't I brought you food and presents and care?"

"Ayato, I-"

"Look what good it does. You still pine after that lazy bastard."

"No, look-"

Ayato stood, yanking her up by her collar. Swiftly, he forced her into one of the dining room sofas, ignoring her cries.

"I thought you'd like playful," he ranted, taking a seat beside her. "I thought you'd like me if I tried-"

Yui struggled away from him as he moved closer to her, forcing her into the corner of the sofa. His hand rested on her knee, pinching the skin of her thigh.

"Don't expect those niceties again." His hand slid further up her leg, reaching the hem of her skirt, and his head moved lower, lips lingering momentarily on her the sensitive spot below her ear.

"Ayato?" she gasped, as he bit her skin lightly. "Look, I know I-"

He bit down harder, causing her to cry out quietly. "Prefer Shu to me?" he growled, pushing the hemline of her dress upwards, so it settled on her hips. Yui stiffened and made to pull it back down, but found her hands were pinned to the back of the sofa. Ayato smirked at her and leaned over her body, pulling his scarf away from his neck. He looped the material around her hands and tied them tightly behind her back.

"Because I don't like that, at all. I don't like that you care more about my brother than you do about me."

"Ayato, that's not the case at all, you know I like - "

"That very much is the case, Pancake. You stare at him so adoringly - it's vile."

"I do not st-" she began, eyes widening as she felt his hand creep higher up her leg. His fingers trailed lightly up her inner thigh, almost to her knickers, before stroking back down to her knee. He repeated the action as he spoke, enjoying the way she flinched at the sensation.

"His smell is all over your body," he replied, lips still soft and warm against her neck.

"Stop interrupting me! And stop _this_ Ayato!" she snapped.

"No," he said, bluntly, running a finger gently down the centre of her knickers. She shuddered at the feeling, her eyes darting around the room in panic - what if another Sakamaki walked in? "No, I will not stop. You need to learn, Yui, about this - our 'relationship'. You are mine, you belong to me - I demand respect, obedience. You will learn your place tonight."

Yui frowned and opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off when his fingers pulled her knickers to one side and ran lightly over her. He rubbed her cunt harder, roughly, then brought three fingers up to her mouth and plunged them inside. Ayato smiled as he watched her choke.

"I tried to be nice, because you claimed you wanted it. But that was a lie, wasn't it? So, no more nice."

Yui struggled, but was unable to get her hands from the shackles tethering her in place. She shut her legs around his hand, only to have them pulled apart by his other arm. He plunged his fingers deeper into her throat, until she gagged slightly, then moved them back down to her sex, smiling into the skin of her neck when he felt wetness trickling from her.

"But then, I've always known you don't like 'nice', Yui. I know you secretly adore the dark, the twisted. You like it better when I hold you down, use you, don't you? You prefer it when I'm like this, because it makes rationalising the pleasure so much easier if you can think 'he forced me to do it'."

Yui moaned as he traced her clit with his fingers, drawing hard and firm circles around it at an agonisingly slow pace. She let out a whimper, and began to close her legs again, but he halted her by landing a hard slap to her cunt.

"Fuck!" she yelped, clit tingling from the force of the hit.

"Language, language," he tutted, hand back to stroking her gently. He teased her with feather-light touches for what seemed like hours, until she was almost on the verge of exploding. Finally, he dipped his hand lower and entered her swiftly with two fingers.

"You're wet through already, Pancake," he whispered, lips kissing the outer rim of her ear between words. Yui blushed deeply at his statement and began to shake when he began pumping his fingers in and out of her at a rapid pace. "You cannot lie to me, Yui, I know you prefer me like this."

Yui shook her head weakly, moaning again when he curled his fingers upwards inside of her. He began thrusting his digits in and out of her at a more brutal rate, adding a third finger shortly after. The girl let out a low cry, slightly pained at the feeling of being so stretched, not that he noticed, or cared.

"N-no, Ayato, I don't. Please -"

"Please what?" he murmured, as he kissed her quivering bottom lip.

"Stop," she ground out, hoarsely. Part of her meant it, he was hurting her, shaming her in front of his brothers, she felt used and dirty and…and so overwhelmed by the pleasure that immediately after her short plea, she let out a wanton groan and pressed herself deeper onto his hand.

Ayato smiled against her cheek, and chuckled darkly.

"Why?" he asked, stilling his movements suddenly. He pulled back from her neck and looked at her questioningly, though he never removed his fingers from their position inside of her. He felt her muscles clench around him as she tried to bring back the pleasure he had halted. Her dazed eyes looked up at him, her cheeks flushed and lips rosy from his kisses.

"Why, what?" she replied, panting. She tried to lift her hips slightly, but his other hand held her down.

"Why don't you just admit that you like this - that this is satisfying that craving you've had since the first time I made you come. I see the way you look at me, my hands in particular. What is it about them that fascinates you so?"

Yui gasped as he moved said fingers, curling them up, just the once, to tantalise her senses. She couldn't tell him the truth, that she imagined they were his brother's hands, his brother's fingers causing her such delight. "They're - they're - the way you touched my neck."

"I see," he said, amusement in his voice. "If you truly want me to stop, tell me now."

He moved closer to her and curled his free hand around her neck. Yui jumped and closed her eyes at the feeling, as Ayato rested his forehead against the side of hers. This wasn't what she wanted - this wasn't who she wanted. That much was clear to her. But, the rush of pleasure confused her, she could barely form a coherent thought. He smirked at her silence. His fingers began moving inside of her again, faster and deeper than before, and his thumb swept up to circle over her swollen clit with each stroke.

"Be as loud as you want. You show everyone in this house who you belong to," he murmured, tightening his grip on her throat slightly. She gasped in as much air as possible, the feeling of light-headedness enhancing the other sensations coursing through her ten-fold.

"Ayato, please-"

"Say it."

"Say what?" she replied, weakly, back arching as she desperately tried to gain release. Ayato slowed his movements considerably, and she let out an aggravated growl.

"Say you're mine."

Yui paused, panting slightly. Ayato pressed a kiss to the side of her cheek, then hissed, "Say it."

"I belong to no-one," she replied, turning her head to look at him dead on. His smug expression faltered, lips sinking into a frown.

There was a moment of silence between the couple for a moment, then Ayato moved his hand for a final stroke and pinched her clit hard between his fingers. Euphoria and pain were inseparable as she came hard onto his hand, her body twisted as much as it could under his grip and a strangled moan left her mouth.

Ayato moved back away from her and wiped his hands on his shirt, before rolling off the sofa and standing. Yui stared at him, breathing deeply, a sheen of sweat across her face. He smiled back at her nonchalantly, and leaned down, silently releasing the bonds around her wrists.

"I'm not yours," she said, pushing herself back up to a straight-backed position. She tugged her skirt down to her knees and grimaced slightly as she felt moisture pool between her thighs.

"I know. But you will be, soon," he replied, winking devilishly as he raised a cigarette up to his lips.

"What makes you say that?" she said, weakly pushing herself to the edge of the bed.

"Because I offered you the chance to stop and you chose to continue," he remarked. "Plus, no-one will ever get you off as well as I do."

Yui stiffened - he was right, about the first point at least. She could have told him to stop, but she hadn't. She hadn't wanted him to stop. But, of course, she couldn't let him know that. Instead, she snorted and headed out of the dining room.

"I hate you," she hissed.

"And I you, darling," he replied.

As Yui walked away from the hall, she placed a hand over her mouth to conceal her breathy sobs. That certainly hadn't been expected and the shock was only finally hitting her. Why had she allowed that to happen when she-

She leaned heavily against the wall, tears running freely down her face.

-when she was so obviously had feelings for Shu.

-0-

Shu awoke the next day and repeated his hell. He drank. He tried to play his piano and found himself still unable to play a complete song. Just as he began his next bottle of wine, a knock sounded at the door.

"Shu?" a timid voice called out. "I'm coming in, okay?"

His door opened a crack and he saw a blonde head poke through the space. Yui smiled at him for a second, though her face soon dropped into an expression of concern. He looked dreadful.

"Are you alright?" she asked, hesitantly.

"Fine," he replied, curtly. He turned his head away from her. She still stank of Ayato. "What do you want?"

Yui stepped further into the room, quietly closing the door behind her. She moved to the armchair that Subaru had sat in, perching delicately on the edge. He peered at her from behind his hair and found himself staring straight at the bite marks on her throat. A tight twisting sensation began in his stomach.

"I haven't seen you for a few days," she said, lacing her hands together in her lap. She seemed nervous, he thought, as he leaned back against the sofa. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No," he answered, blankly.

"Okay." An awkward silence fell between them. Yui looked down at her lap. Shu stared straight at her. "I'm sorry."

"Didn't I tell you to stop apologising to me?" he ground out, irritably. She looked at him sadly - he found himself hating her pity. He held out a hand. "Come here."

Yui looked surprised, but gave him a small smile and rose from the chair. She held out her hand as she neared him. He grabbed ahold of it and tugged her down, so that she sat between his legs, facing away from him. She let out a gasp and tensed as he pulled her back against his chest. Shu closed his eyes, swallowing thickly as he tried to ignore the feeling in his stomach. Her heart was pounding roughly against her ribcage at the warm sensation of his body against hers. He seemed different than usual - far tenser and more agitated. The heavy scent of alcohol hung around him, which worried her slightly.

"You still owe me a song," she said, as he scraped her hair away from her neck.

"What?" he asked, frowning. He leaned forward and dug his fangs gently into her shoulder.

Yui gasped at the feeling and her spine arched away from him. Shu groaned as her backside ground into his lap and her blood, hot and sweet, flowed into his mouth. "Y-you said you would play your violin for me."

He drew back, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. That was right, he had promised to play for her, hadn't he? Her blood sobered him up significantly and he could finally think straight. "You shouldn't keep bothering me, Yui."

"I want to," she replied, much to his surprise. He placed his lips back on her shoulder and lapped at the blood that had trickled out of the puncture marks. Yui shivered underneath him and balanced herself by placing her hands on his legs.

Shu closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of her fingers clutching at him. He clasped an arm across her chest and gently held her cheek in his hand. She leaned her head to the side to allow him more room and let out a faint whine. Her groans, her blood and the feeling of her body undulating beneath him was driving him mad.

"I-I don't hate you either, Shu," she whispered, softly. One of her hands left his leg and touched the hand that was settled on her cheek. "I can't."

He jolted back, ripping his fangs painfully from her skin. She let out a cry and fell forward, off the sofa and onto her knees.

"Yui-" he exclaimed, reaching out to her. The girl turned around, but remained on her knees on the floor. She looked up at him from between his legs, one hand clutching her bloody shoulder tightly.

"Stop pushing me away," she said, firmly.

"I-" he stammered, confused. "You don't want to- you can still go now. I will only let you down."

Yui knelt up and took his face gently in her hands. He fought the urge to flinch away, but watched her with terrified, wide eyes. The girl leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss on his lips. It was only brief, he barely had time to enjoy it before she pulled away and her hands disappeared from his face.

"You shouldn't do that, Yui," he murmured, sadly.

She kissed him again, harder this time. As her lips moved against his, his resolve crumbled entirely. Her scent was intoxicating, she made his heart pound. One hand moved to the back of her head, where it ran smoothly through her hair. The other moved to Yui's collar and he began gently unbuttoning her blouse.

Yui moved back and fixed him with a stern glare. "Before this- I mean- do you still think I'm only food?"

"I don't know," he replied, truthfully.

He slid her shirt over her shoulders, then removed her shorts, his touch lingering on her hips. This felt right, he wanted to - but, he'd never done this before. The man paused, recoiling slightly from the kiss. He felt his cheeks heat up as he stumbled over his words.

"I've never-"

"You've never what?" she replied, her hands smoothing down over his chest, softly opening the buttons of his shirt.

She felt oddly powerful, thanks to the uneasy expression on his face. He appeared to be scared - it made her take the lead, it gave her the will to take the reigns. Despite her inexperience, she let her body's needs guide her. She pushed his shirt from his arms, and let it flutter to the floor. Her hands splayed out over his chest, barely there, barely a whisper of a touch. Shu shuddered under the cool sensation that her fingertips brought, goosebumps erupting over his shoulders as she carelessly circled different areas of his body. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh, reveling in the odd, unfamiliar feeling of being touched, caressed, of feeling something that wasn't nothing.

"I've never done..." he trailed off, opening his eyes to look down at her. She was stood so close, her skin touching his, her blonde curls fluffed framing her strangely passive features. Her ease terrified him, and a sudden panic grew in his stomach that she would laugh - she would laugh at him because he was a boy, just a boy who knew nothing about... _this_ compared to his brothers _._ He'd never bothered with women before - they were too troublesome, too noisy. She looked up at him and quirked an eyebrow slightly, forcing him from his hesitance.

"I've not done this before."

Shu stiffened and waited for her reaction. No laughter came, just the soft feeling of her lips against the base of his neck, her hands roaming up his back to settle in his hair.

"I've never done anything like this before either."

A new feeling worked its way through his body - he couldn't find the words to describe it. He stood them up and guided them both around the furniture, until his knees hit the back of the bed and forced him to sit. She straddled his lap, her body pressing into him as close as she could possibly make it.

As she brought her kisses to his lips, his mind clouded with frustration. There was no direction, he didn't know what to do - his hands remained limp at his sides, though they ached to touch her, to feel her skin, to maybe elicit some of those feelings within her. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she pulled her hips up slightly, before grinding back down into his pelvis. He couldn't hold back the breathy groan that escaped into her mouth - she seemed to like that, he could feel her smile against his lips. Shu pulled back, wary of what to do, if she would let him touch her, if what he was doing was stupid, wrong, juvenile-

"You are allowed to touch me, Shu," she said, nudging her nose against mine. A small smile played around her lips, and her eyes twinkled mischievously. "In fact, I would enjoy that very much."

Shu looked at her, dazed slightly. He raised his hands from the bed an inch or two, but paused. Where on earth should he begin? Shakily, he removed her underwear - he didn't know where to look, so he focused on her soft smile, her kind eyes. He knew the female anatomy, he knew the basic areas to provide sexual stimulation, but -

Yui noticed his hesitation and pressed her lips softly against his again. Only quickly, and as she pulled back he almost tried to follow. Her hands moved down his shoulders, wrapped around his own and then moved them up to settle on her thighs.

"Shu," she whispered, hand sneaking up to tug the back of his hair. "Touch me."

A breath caught in his throat. It was her order, the way she took control that made his mind jolt. He couldn't hold back, not anymore, not anymore. His fingers clenched her thighs tightly, fingernails digging into her skin hard enough to leave marks. She jumped slightly at the sudden pain, and her hips bucked violently into him.

"Beg," he managed to say, voice hoarse from her movements. "I told you if you wanted me to continue, you had to beg."

Yui stared down at him, eyes widening at his request. _._ "I-" she began.

His mask of calm was slipping. A lusty, unfamiliar growl left his lips and he snaked his hand up her back to pull her hair down, exposing her neck to him. The tendrils caught and tangled around his fingers, and it must have hurt if her pained mews were anything to go by. Excitement took over; a smirk spread across his lips as he moved another hand up over her thigh, to stroke over her hipbone, then down to feel her cunt. She let out a sharp breath as his fingers trailed slowly over her outer lips, up and down, repeatedly. He wanted her to go mad with desire, he wanted her to yearn, to plead for him just as he had felt for her.

"I said: beg," Shu repeated, ghosting his lips over the base of her neck just as she had done to him. She shuddered as his breath hit her skin, and arched her back slightly, chest jutting forward in the process. At her stubborn silence, he leaned forward and latched his fangs onto the swell of her breast, biting and sucking hard enough to elicit another soft whimper from her. Strangely, and unexpectedly, he felt moisture soaking his fingers after this mistreatment, so he moved back and raised an eyebrow toward her. With a harsh jolt, he tugged her hair upwards, so she was looking straight toward him. Her eyes were glazed over, mouth agape slightly, and her cheeks were flushed a deep shade of crimson.

"Did you enjoy that?" he asked, not to tease her, but out of genuine fascination. She hesitated, but eventually nodded as best she could under the grip of his fingers. Shu pulled her closer to him, growling again when her hips ground heavily into his lap. He kissed her, unlike any other kiss they had shared, all careful and kind inclinations lost to the madness in his head, instead rough, biting and forceful, tongue delving in her mouth, capturing her moans and cries. She shrieked into the kiss when he moved his fingers inside of her, curling and touching, experimenting to see what would gain the greatest reaction. Her wetness was soaking his hand, trickling down his fingers and eventually dripping onto the floor. With each thrust of his hand she writhed in his lap, screamed what he thought was his name into his mouth. Her little body began to shudder, and he felt her cunt rhythmically tighten around his fingers - so he ceased, and pulled them out, settling that hand once again on her thigh.

Yui stared at him, wide eyed, short breaths rattling through her lungs at a rapid rate. Her eyes were dilated, and a sheen of sweat was visible over her skin. "Why-"

He twisted their bodies around, so her back was on the bed, and he was positioned over her. The smirk disappeared - he wasn't able to think straight. He needed her, he wanted whatever she would give, _he begged_ \- "Yui, please-"

"Be quiet and take your clothes off," she breathed, her hands working quickly over his belt buckle and releasing it from its catch.

Shu grinned widely, and followed her lead once more, pushing the navy dress trousers down over his hips. His actions had turned clumsy again, his palms were sweating in anticipation as he settled between her thighs. She leaned forward, capturing his lips in a soft, gently kiss, before she guided him into her cunt. He closed his eyes - the feeling, of tight, hot, wet, _fuck-_

 _One, two, three. One, two, three-_

When it was over, and the euphoria had left him, he looked at the exhausted girl beside him and ran his fingers lightly over the vicious bite marks that littered her body. Her lips looked raw, he tasted blood on them when he placed my mouth against hers. A number of bruises were forming around her wrists, her neck, her thighs. He wanted to apologize, to tell her that this brutality was wrong. But he reminded himself of the screams of ecstasy each mark had wrought from her. In the afterglow, she turned and smiled, she kissed his lips gently and ran her hands through his hair. In that moment he felt no guilt, or anger - just bliss.


	8. Chapter 8

_Hello gorgeous ones! I hope you had a lovely Christmas._

 _WARNING: THIS CHAPTER IS VERY GORY, please don't read if you are full of Xmas joy or have a weak stomach._

 _Please note this is NOT the final chapter. There are quite a few left. There are also no major character deaths in this story, so don't fret!_

-0-

Ayato let out a deep breath and stabbed down with the knife in his hand, ignoring the screams of the girl beneath him. She was around eighteen, the daughter of some human who lived in the village near their estate- beautiful, though this beauty had been severely marred by the slick sheen of sweat and blood that covered her skin and the grotesque contortions of her face as she howled. The blade sliced through the girl's middle finger and blood began to spurt from the fresh wound. He tilted his head, smile widening as he watched tears roll down her cheeks. Carelessly, he pulled the finger away from the rest of her hand, wrenching it back and forth to tear the last shreds of skin apart.

"Oops, looks like I didn't make a clean cut that time," he taunted, holding the appendage up to his lips. "My sincerest apologies."

"P-please stop," the girl wept, shaking.

Ayato chuckled and tossed her finger to the side, joining the other three he had already seen to. "Now why would I do that?"

"Please, my parents are rich, you can have whatever you want," she stammered. "Just let me go!"

"I don't need money. Offer me something else," he asked, sitting back on his heels. He was straddling the girl, making it impossible for her to escape him - a position of power he had never tried before, but was thoroughly enjoying.

"Power," she cried. "My Father works in a senior position in the city! Please!"

"No," Ayato replied, in a bored tone. He leaned closer to her, placing hands either side of her head, knife almost touching her ear. She stiffened beneath him at his proximity, turning her head as his lips brushed her cheek.

The girl shuddered, nearly gagging at her own thoughts. Slowly, she looked back at him, eyes filled with terror. "You can have whatever you want. Just stop, please. Please don't kill me."

He gently brushed her cheek with his thumb, sighing softly. His cold lips pressed against hers, so warm and red with blood, and moved one hand to her hair, pulling on the pale blonde locks. She had been a perfect match - blonde, clear pink eyes, pale skin. She carried herself with the same nervous grace as Yui did. For a moment, as he kissed her, he pictured who he truly desired, he tasted her blood on his lips and- _this was not the blood he desired._ Nothing had ever been as sweet and satisfying as the moment he finally, _finally,_ tore into his Mother's neck with his teeth. He hated her guts, but he couldn't stop himself, he couldn't lie and pretend that her blood didn't affect him. She had been perfect. The girl beneath him whimpered, screwed up her face and the illusion was lost. He released the kiss, pulling back to look at her.

She had never been perfect. He hated her. He hated the way she affected him. He hated that she denied him happiness, that she thought of him as insignificant and unimportant. He hated that Yui denied him her blood, he hated that she chose his brother over him. Images of Yui filled his mind, stained with ever present smirk of Cordelia. _You will never be the best._ Rage filled his chest as he looked down at the impostor and he raised his fist, slamming it down on the girl's nose. Hate was all he felt, it was all he had ever felt.

"No deal," he spat, letting the knife fall from his fingers.

The girl begged in her final moments, before he plunged his fangs into her throat. He pressed down, forcing them in as far as he could. Blood sprayed from the wound, almost comically, covering his face and chest. He moved up as the girl drew in her final breath and kissed her again, hard. As he wrenched back, he gripped her bottom lip between his teeth, tearing the soft flesh from her face. He stared down at the wretched creature below him and spat the piece of meat onto the floor next to her face.

'You always lose control, don't you?' Laito sighed, appearing in front of him. He knelt down in front of his brother and swiped his finger across the dying girl's face, letting her blood stain his fingertip.

"Shut up," Ayato replied, closing his eyes.

'You're so bad at controlling your temper. You're worse than Kanato," Laito commented, sucking the blood from his finger. He made a face. "How disgusting."

"Shut up!" Ayato roared, blood-stained hands rising to push his brother away. He bent over, laying his head against the girl's collarbone. "Leave me alone, please."

"Yui isn't Cordelia, Ayato. She never will be."

"Go away," he whispered. Laito sighed, turned on his heel and headed out of Ayato's room, shutting the door quietly behind him.

After a moment of licking up the blood that had pooled in the hollow of her throat, Ayato pushed himself to his feet. He barely gave the girl's body another glance - Reiji would clear it up.

-0-

Shu slept beside her every night after that. She found it strangely comforting to sleep next to him, with his arm around her waist, chest pressed tightly against her back. If a nightmare reared its ugly head, he held her closer, pressed his lips to her shoulder and whispered that it was all a dream. It didn't matter that the visions were the fault of him and his brothers - she tried her best to separate the 'monster' from Shu, as did he.

It felt right. He was rough with her sexually without pushing unspoken limits and tender without being patronizing. They would engage in deep conversations in the middle of the night. She would cook, he would watch. Though he still spent most of his time sleeping, he taught her a few simple scales on his piano, introduced her to an array of different types of music and his favourite literature. They spent most of their time alone with one other - seeing neither hide nor hair of the other Sakamaki brothers.

 _The thirst that burned the back of his throat was worse than usual._

Yui felt happier. It wasn't just Shu that lifted her spirits. The outburst she had a few weeks ago had jolted something within her. These days the nights seemed a little less arduous, the days a little less monotonous - she enjoyed being awake, she bounced slightly as she walked, she buzzed with a forgotten energy. Yui never thought of Shu as the reason for her revitalization, no, but she couldn't deny his influence had prompted something. Not that she would ever tell him - far be it from her to allow any man, let alone a vampire, to be her reason for happiness.

 _He would drain her dry if she stayed this close._

The moonlight was just streaming in through the window. He kissed her shoulder with a gentleness even the soft light could not manage. She turned, saw his face only for a brief second before his lips descended and her eyes fluttered shut. The man propped himself up on one elbow and let the other trail down over her hips. One of her hands ran through his already-messed hair, tugging slightly to urge him on. A gasp left her mouth and filled his as he slid two slender fingers inside of her.

"I like the way you bite your lip," he said, as he swirled his thumb around her clit gently. "I like your gasps and the way you're always so wet for me. I like the way you feel. I love the wa-"

He paused. Yui stared at him, in disbelief. Shu let out a short breath, then leaned down to kiss her again, thrusting his fingers as hard as he could until her cries permeated the silence and her body thrashed against the sheets.

"Shu, oh god, Shu. I lo-"

"So wet already, Miss Komori," he commented, pressing another finger inside of her roughly. His strokes were hard, they shook her entire body, but she found herself enjoying it more and more. "Do I make you wet? Tell me-"

"Oh God-"

He swiped his thumb up over her clit and lowered his head so his lips were moving against her cheek. She felt him smirk against her skin as she whimpered loudly.

"Tell me," he chided, chuckling darkly. He kissed her sweat-ridden face as she began to pant harder.

"I - I d-don't know-" she managed to croak, as he curled his fingers inside of her.

It began to get overwhelming. The heat, the sensations he caused inside of her, the furious passion behind his eyes, his filthy, honest sentiments, the scratch of his fangs against her naked skin, the loss of power -

"Do you like the way my hands play you, Yui?" he asked, twisting his hand.

"Oh god- I can't h- I'm going t-" she mumbled, legs shaking.

"Don't you dare come, Yui," he snarled. She noted that her name sounded different, sinful, it sounded like all the other filthy words he spat. "Not unless you ask."

"Come on-"

"Ask!" he barked, pressing down hard against her sensitive clitoris. She let out a shriek and her head fell back against the mattress

"Please, fuck, please let me come," she breatheed, screaming again when he added another finger inside of her, stretching her.

"Please let me come…what?" he repeated, voice closer and dark against her ear.

"Please, please-"

"Please what?"

Yui moaned again as he slowed down briefly, pained as the loss of the oncoming release. Her mind registers something, something she had never thought about until now.

"Say my name, Yui."

Her legs shook.

"P-please-"

"Say it!" he said, almost desperately.

"Please, Shu, please!"

His fingers sped up again and his thumb rapidly stroked her clit until she finally, finally, reached -

"Good girl," he said, eyes narrowing as she let out a guttural, animalistic cry as she comes hard against his hand.

In the haze of pleasure, she no longer thought of the fangs, of the blood, of the monster. He wasn't a monster. He was Shu, just Shu. He entered her from behind, letting out a hoarse grunt as he felt her walls tighten around him. One of his hands settled on the back of her neck, steadying her as he pounded into her forcefully. The other gripped her hip, using it to move her body back and forth. Yui's mouth hung open and gasps burst from her mouth with each thrust.

The vampire groaned and turned their bodies over, swinging Yui round so she was sat atop him. He placed his hands on her hips and began to move her up and down.

"Ride me," he ordered, running one hand down her chest. He pinched one of her nipples between his fingers until she gasped and began to move of her own volition. "Fuck, that feels good."

Yui panted as she thrusted her hips up and down and a sheen of sweat covered her skin. The feeling in her stomach began to grow once again and her legs shook around his hips. Her hands grasped his shoulders for stability and she began to move faster, seeking climax.

"Fuck, don't stop, please-" Shu panted, starting to move his hips roughly. Yui smiled at him, adoring the desperation in his voice. She gripped his shoulders tighter and leaned down, pressing a kiss to his lips. The vampire groaned, lacing his arms around her back. He thrusted into her harder, completely losing control-

They cried out into each other's mouths, bodies thrashing against one another. Yui collapsed on top of him, breathing heavily. Shu's arms remained wrapped around her, until their panting lessened to soft breaths and they regained energy.

Yui moved off him, dropping to the side, wetness trailing onto the bedsheets in between her legs. The girl relaxed completely, head rolling to the side to face him. She smiled tiredly, and reached up with one hand, cupping one of his cheeks gently.

"Yui," he whispered, turning to wrap one arm around her waist. He rested his head upon her chest, and smiled when he felt her lips press down on the top of his curls.

 _He was so very hungry. He would kill her if he lost control._

 _-0-_

Laito closed one eye and bit down on his lip gently as he focused on the bullseye. He leaned and gently launched the dart forward. The point fell just below the intended target, much to his annoyance. He let out an irritated grunt.

"How annoying. You're up, Red," he called, nodding at his brother.

Ayato looked up from his seat and shrugged. "I can't be assed."

"Come up," Laito grumbled, rolling his eyes. "You can't mope around all day."

"How fucking dare she?" Ayato complained, slamming his fist down on the table. "How fucking dare-"

Reiji rolled his eyes at his brother and leaned back in his chair. "Calm yourself, Ayato. You've nothing to worry about."

"I can hear them fucking. Right now."

Laito chuckled, sitting down in the chair beside Ayato. He rolled his head back and let out a low moan. "Mm, I know. And there was me thinking Shu would never get laid."

"Exactly!" the red-head yelled, angrily. "The nerve of that lazy prick."

Reiji sighed and pushed himself out of his chair. He approached Ayato and pushed him down into an armchair. Sometimes he couldn't stand the boisterous triplet, he was far too loud. That was the one trait he shared with Shu - he was never a fan of loud noises.

"Could you be quiet, please?" he asked, pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose.

"What?" Ayato snapped back, folding his arms across his chest.

"Why do you care that much?" Laito said. "You could fuck her whilst Shu's asleep."

"It's annoying," Ayato sighed, lacing his hands together in his lap. "Why would she choose him over me?"

His brother grinned, giggling. "You are so cute."

"Fuck off," Ayato pushed himself out of his chair and strode across the game room, shoving his hands deep into his pockets.

"Why not just go out and find someone else? Maybe try not to tear them apart this time, though," Laito replied, with a sigh. "Yui's hardly your type anyway. Not even a push-up bra could save those ti-"

"Her blood. It's all I want, it's all I can think about," Ayato groaned, kicking the leg of the pool table. "And I had her first! She belongs to me."

"Her blood is tasty, sure, but it's not-"

"She tastes like-" Ayato exclaimed, suddenly halting his statement.

Reiji raised an eyebrow. "She tastes like whom?"

Ayato shook his head and blinked a number of times to gather his thoughts. "Nothing, just-"

He looked over at Laito, who scowled back at him. He knew exactly who his brother was talking about - _that person._ He himself had noticed the distinct tang of their Mother's blood when he drank from Yui. It confused him greatly, but he did not think too hard on the matter for fear of resurfacing old memories of Cordelia.

"Whatever," Laito replied. His cheery demeanor returned quickly. "Tonight's the full moon, isn't it? If we're lucky Shu will lose his cool and she'll run back to you by choice."

"Shu won't lose his cool," Ayato said, angrily. "He's never lost it before."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Laito said. "Subaru told me that he went mad whilst we were visiting Karlheinz. He nearly killed her."

Ayato turned back to his brother, eyebrows raised. "Huh, really?"

"Yep."

"Interesting. The thirst gets worse after, uh - well, after doing it - doesn't it?"

Laito nodded, a satisfied look on his face. "Indeed it does. I hear it's unbearable."

Reiji looked up at his brothers and raised an eyebrow. The man smirked and reached into his pocket. "Shu lacks basic self-control at the best of times, he's bound to go crazy with a little provocation."

The bespectacled brother strode across the room and tossed a small glass bottle toward Ayato, who caught it deftly. "What's this?"

"Give it to Shu," Reiji answered. "It will intensify the effects of the full moon. He will kill her or at the very least drive her away."

"Why are you giving this to me?" Ayato asked, narrowing his eyes. Reiji looked over at him, smile stretching further across his face. "Didn't Karlheinz specifically request that she remain alive?"

"Then make sure she doesn't die," Reiji retorted. "And I'm only assisting in this because I can't wait to see the look on that pathetic good-for-nothing's face when he loses again."

Ayato smirked, rocking back and forth on his heels. He leaned back against the pool table and laughed highly, raising the bottle up to the light. "Well, this could be a fun evening after all."

-0-

That night, when Shu woke, he found himself in a strange state of anger. Strange, indeed - it had no source, he was far from unhappy. His arm was wound around Yui's waist, face buried in the back of her hair, as it had been every morning for the past week. But, although he smiled at first, watching as the full moon's silver rays dripped onto the smooth skin of her cheek, casting a shadow over the curve of her lips, the happiness inside of him turned sour.

He felt the urge to wrap her curls around his hand and wrench her backwards, to place his long fingers around her neck and _CRACK-_

Something broke in his chest. Pain stabbed at his heart and brain, such pain, it tore at his skin, shredded through tissue and muscle, pulled at his ribs. His mind felt as if it were clouded, all he could feel, think, breathe was _pain, so raw and powerful, so thirsty it burned it burned-_ Shu fell away from Yui and thrashed against the mattress, hands clutching at the skin of his chest, screaming. Immediately, the girl next to him woke and snapped up to look at him. Shu's back was arched off the bed, his fingernails were digging into his pale throat, as if he were trying to pry it open with his bare hands. His face was twisted, eyes clamped shut, mouth wide open as his horrid, hoarse screams continued.

 _Kill her, tear her to pieces, make her hurt, cover yourself in her blood-_

"Shu? Oh god, Shu, what's happening?" Yui asked, grabbing his wrists in her hands, tearing away to stop him hurting himself. Eight crescent-shaped marks littered his neck, one or two bled profusely, causing blood to trail down his torso.

Yui gasped, desperately trying to hold on to him, which was proving exceptionally difficult as he writhed viciously and lashed out at her. His eyes snapped open at the sound of her gasp. The hatred in his gaze was obvious as he lunged forward, his hand clasping around her throat. Shu glared angrily, vacant of all his usual tenderness and began to squeeze down on her windpipe - so hard she began to wheeze almost instantly in panic. The man cocked his head and pursed his lips, jaw clenching tightly as he observed her purpling face.

"I want blood," he hissed, venomously. Yui's eyes bulged from her head as she heard the foul tone fall from his lips. What could possibly have prompted this? What had snapped in his head? "I want blood, I need blood _right fucking now._ "

"Shu, please," she gasped, weakly.

At the sound of his name, so breathy and weak, the rage that filled his head drained, and he could see her clearly once more. _Yui._ His gaze flicked to the hand that tightly held her throat and immediately released her, recoiling as if burned. He swallowed down the thirst, shaking his head.

"I-" he began, watching as she crawled away from him, until her back hit the wooden board at the end of their bed. Her eyes were wide with fear, tears brimming around the edges. _Skin her alive, break her bones-_

"You-," she trailed off, gulping down sobs as best she could.

"I didn't mean to -," Shu blurted, shaking his head nervously. _Hurt her, suck her eyes from the sockets, make her her bleed-_ He held out a hand and she flinched away from him, causing sadness to bubble in his chest. "Yui please - I'm sorry."

She looked at his outstretched palm and his perspiring, worried face and sighed deeply.

"I don't know what just happened. You looked at me like-" she paused, getting to her feet clumsily and heading toward the door.

"Please wait - like what?"

She fixed him with a gaze. "Like a monster."

 _That's exactly what you are. Show her! SHOW HER WHAT YOU ARE-_

"Yui, please - it's the moon-"

"I'm going to shower," she cut in. "It would be best if you stayed away from me tonight, don't you think? Be more careful."

Shu grimaced and watched her leave, flinching as the door slammed behind her. He noticed a sharp pain throbbing in his chest as buried his head in his pillow, trying and failing to ignore the harsh, screeching thirst in his mind.

"She smells good doesn't she?" a voice piped up.

At first he thought it was just another voice in his head, but as he rolled over, he saw three dark figures scattered about his room. One was situated on the sofa in the centre of the room, another lounging on his desk. The final one was sat at the end of his bed, leaning against the bedpost. Shu rubbed his eyes, letting them adjust to the darkness.

"What?" he asked, weakly. _I hear her heartbeat from here-_

"She smells amazing," the shadow on his desk chuckled. He recognized the voice as Laito's.

"I might try and suck from her today." That was Ayato, situated on the sofa.

"Would you like to have some too, Teddy?" And Kanato, perched on the end of his bed.

"What are you all doing here?" Shu said, sitting up. He jumped back as Kanato flung a piece of cloth at him.

"Get dressed, lazy," the purple-haired brother snapped, mood changing instantly.

Shu picked up the t-shirt and pulled it over his shoulders. "Do I have to repeat my question?"

"So you fucked her then?" Ayato said. Anger laced his tone, despite his obvious attempt to hide it. "How was it?"

The eldest Sakamaki ignored his question, but grit his teeth together in annoyance. "Could you three leave, please? You're being terribly loud."

 _Where is she? Find her, skin her, kill her, drain her-_

"If you want to talk about being loud -" Laito began, spinning himself around to sit on the edge of the desk. "- then we should discuss those delightful noises that Little Bitch was making-"

"Don't call her that, Laito," Shu said, pulling on his boxers and standing away from the bed. "Now, leave. All of you."

"Can you smell her, Teddy?" Kanato asked, looking down at his stuffed bear. "Doesn't she smell good?"

 _She does smell good, doesn't she?_

Shu quirked his head, trying to ignore the thirst. It was more insistent, far louder, more persuasive, than usual, for reasons he could not fathom. "Leave-"

Ayato took in a deep breath, then released it. "Her smell is so strong today. It's probably the mixture of sweat and cum-"

"Don't talk about-," Shu shouted. He paused, trying to calm himself down. It would do no good to let his brothers rile him. _Find her, find her, get her - please -_

"Was she tight?" Laito asked, chuckling.

 _You could sink your teeth into her breast-_

"What does she taste like now?" Ayato added. "They taste different after you fuck them."

 _Make her scream your name, then tear her throat out with your hands. Drench yourself in her, in every last drop-_

"I bet she tastes like sherbet," Kanato chimed in, laughing maniacally to himself.

"Stop it! Get out!" Shu screamed, throwing the door to his bedroom open.

Ayato rushed toward him and grabbed his collar, lifting him up and pinning him against the wall. Shu grunted in pain as his head collided with the hard surface. He looked into his brother's vibrant green eyes, vision hazy due to the harsh impact. Ayato leaned in close, his face pressing roughly against Shu's.

"The thirst is burning today, isn't it, brother?" he growled.

Shu could feel Ayato's fangs scraping against the skin of his cheek. The eldest brother hissed loudly in response and moved forward, only to be shoved back again by Ayato.

 _Wouldn't it be nice, so sweet, so delicious-_

"You're so weak, Shu," Ayato whispered. "Everything you want gets spoiled. You couldn't let her be safe with me, could you?"

"You're not-"

"Shut up!" Ayato snarled, tightening his grip on Shu's collar. "Well, I hope fucking her was worth it. And now, brother - you're going to find her and you're going to tear this all to pieces."

"N-no, I'm not," Shu mumbled, taking in a deep breath. Nothing worked - her scent was everywhere, maddening, disgusting, painful-

 _You deserve this. Find her, please, you want this, you need this, don't you Shu?_

Ayato chuckled. "You are so thirsty, aren't you?

"I bet our little doll would taste so wonderful tonight," Kanato said, leaning back on his bed. "I might-"

"You're not doing anything!" Shu exclaimed. Laito and Kanato appeared on either side of Ayato, all three of them with their teeth bared.

"Hold still," Laito ordered. The two younger brothers held his arms tightly against the wall. Usually, the eldest Sakamaki would have been able to break free of their grip, but in his half-crazed state he was finding it difficult to concentrate. He thrashed against his brothers, but was unable to wrench out of their grasp. Ayato smirked at him and reached forward, grabbing ahold of his chin. He tightened his fingers, forcing Shu's lips apart. Before he could react, his brother had poured a sour-tasting liquid into his mouth. The red head clasped his hand over his lips so that he was unable to spit it out, despite his best efforts. It slowly trickled down his throat, igniting his esophagus.

"Good luck, Shu," Ayato hissed, removing his hand. Kanato and Laito shrieked with laughter and moved back, releasing Shu from the wall. The blonde gasped, as the burning thirst in his throat grew to intolerable levels. His pupils dilated, his veins expanded until they seemed to burst from under his skin-

"W-what's happening?" Shu panted, unable to ignore the way his pulse quickened.

 _Tear her into little pieces - stop the burning, stop it, make it stop-_

"We're just showing Yui who you really are," Ayato answered. He raised his hand and slapped the blonde hard across the face. Shu gasped as he hit the floor and pressed a cold palm to his cheek. The red-head kicked him swiftly in the stomach, winding him. "You're a useless piece of shit, you know that?"

Shu coughed loudly as the triplets stepped over him and headed out of the door. Soon, he was left alone with the raging voice in his head. He rolled back and forth across the floor, scratching at his face with his hands. After a moment, the man raised himself to a standing position. He leaned heavily against the doorframe, mouth hanging agape, panting profusely. His fangs extended past his bottom lip, as they always did during the hunt. His eyelids opened to reveal two shining black pits. All he could think of was blood. _Hot, thick, blood._

"Yui," he murmured, voice hoarse and dry.

He stretched his hand out in front of him and clenched his fingers in and out. Strength coursed through his veins, his muscles seemed to lose the tension that had been present in them ever since she had kissed him. This was the vampire, this was the power within him, this was the hunter. As he closed his eyes, a smile rose on his face. He picked up her scent - _so fresh and pure, isn't she_?

The thirst was going wild in his head, forcing a number of grotesque fantasies to play over and over in his imagination. _No more control, no more, no more, tear, rip, kill-_

 _She would cry out as he sunk his teeth into her thigh, then her stomach, then her-_

 _Oh god, then her neck. It was hotter there, so hot-_

 _She wouldn't stop screaming-_

 _Her hands would push against his face-_

 _They would tug at his hair, trying to stop him, oh he loved her struggles-_

 _He would drag his teeth across her chest and lap at the streams of crimson that would pour out of her-_

 _Her cries would begin to quieten-_

 _He would fill his mouth to the brim with the blood from her stomach-_

 _The thirst, it burned, it never ceased-_

 _She would be quiet then, she wouldn't struggle anymore-_

The man experienced a rush of energy so intense that he found himself unable to move. He slumped down against the side of his bed, hands shaking, vision blurred, mouth salivating as he thought of her, and only her.

-0-

"You did what?!"

"Yeah, funny, huh?" Ayato laughed, shoving another takoyaki into his mouth. Kanato giggled, rocking back and forth in his chair.

"Don't worry, we're not going to let him kill our Little Bitch," Laito sighed, stealing a part of Ayato's food and popping it into his mouth. "We're only going to let him go so far."

The red-head growled at his brother and swiped at him. Subaru gaped at the triplets.

"Why the fuck would you do that?"

Ayato rolled his eyes and picked up the glass of beer in front of him. "Enlightenment."

Subaru tore across the room, held his brother up by his collar and threw the boy back against the table. His glass shattered at their feet, liquid slopping over the floor. The two of them bared their teeth at one another in confrontation, hissing loudly.

"What the fuck do you mean by that?" Subaru snarled, narrowing his eyes.

"Yui will know exactly what he is like," Ayato breathed, grinning madly. "Pathetic oaf doesn't deserve her blood."

Ayato reached up and landed a swift punch to his brother's face. The white-haired boy fell backward against the floor, but soon picked himself back up and lurched at Ayato. He kneed him roughly in the stomach, causing the red-head to cough and fall back against Laito, who rushed to catch him.

"You're insane," Subaru exclaimed, shaking his head. "Why do you want to mess this up _so_ badly? _ **"**_

"Because that blood is mine, it belongs to me," Ayato growled, voice low. "And I want her back."

"Take the fucking hint, Ayato," Subaru groaned, turning on his heel and heading to the door. "She doesn't want you."

"This isn't about what she wants, asshole!" he replied, shrugging Laito's hands from his shoulders. "I want that blood! I need it!"

Subaru didn't bother replying to Ayato - he needed to find Shu as soon as possible. Anger swelled in his chest as he sprinted down the corridor toward Shu's room. What did that idiot think this would achieve? Ayato had always been the jealous type, but never to this extent. He suspected it had something to do with Yui's blood in particular - it seemed to affect him in a different manner to the other brothers. Ayato had, by far, taken the most from her. Perhaps he had become so addicted to the taste, to the power it gave him, that it had driven him to distraction.

He burst through the door to his brother's quarters, panting heavily. "Shu? Shu - where are you?"

The white-haired brother searched the room, scraping his fringe back behind his ear. As he turned into the bedroom, he saw the blonde curled up against the side of his bed. Subaru called his name again and moved toward him, but still got no response. As he approached, he noticed something dreadfully _wrong._

Shu's breathing was fast. There was a slick sheen of sweat shining on his exposed skin. His head was tilted back against the mattress, eyes wide, mouth hanging open. Subaru halted when he noticed the deep black hue that stained his eyeballs and the way his veins seemed to burst from under his skin. He realized the quick breathing was not from exertion - Shu was laughing silently. The blonde started to wheeze and short, breathy snickers started to fall from his open mouth.

"Shu? Are you okay?" Subaru asked, cautiously. He knelt down beside his brother and placed a hand on his shoulder. The blonde didn't move, he simply kept laughing. Subaru shook his shoulder gently, trying to bring him to his senses. "Come on, dude, stop-"

Shu's laughter grew louder, though no less wheezy. The horrid giggles rattled around his throat and were released as a scratchy, tinny sound, as if being transmitted through an old radio. Subaru leaned back, watching him worriedly.

"I n-need blood," Shu gasped, between chuckles. "Get me her blood."

"No, Shu," he replied, softly. "You've lost it. You don't want to hurt her, do you?"

The blonde turned his head slowly and stared at his brother with unsettling, dark eyes. "Yes."

Subaru grimaced. "This is the moon talking, Shu. You don't want to-"

" _I want to hurt her, I want the blood from her veins, I want to tear her heart from her chest!_ " Shu shouted, suddenly springing to his feet. His voice was unnatural, it sounded almost as if two voices were speaking at once.

"You don't want to do that," Subaru replied, stepping in front of the door. He held out his arms and swallowed nervously as Shu approached him. He had never seen his brother like this - he was an imposing, terrifying creature in this form. Power, vicious and raw, emanated from him, from the tense muscles and predatory, shark-like gaze. "I can't let you leave this room."

"It's your funeral," Shu said, softly, tilting his head to one side.

Subaru clenched his fists - he hoped he wouldn't die here.


	9. Chapter 9

_"Mother?"_

 _Cordelia raised her head from the pillow, wiping a hand across her forehead. "Ayato, is that you my darling?"_

 _A young boy stepped into the room, wide green eyes shining in the dim candlelight._

 _"Are you okay, my love?" she asked, holding out a hand to beckon him over. It was strange to see him standing in her doorway. He had often run to her bedroom in the middle of the night when he was younger, but it had been years since he had been plagued by night terrors._

 _Ayato shuffled over to her, taking her hand in his. "I couldn't sleep. I called for Laito and Kanato but they didn't come."_

 _He climbed onto the end of the bed and crawled up the duvet to sit next to her. Cordelia opened her arms and pulled him closer, allowing him to lean his head against her shoulder. As she gently stroked his dark curls, she noticed his hands trembling in his lap._

 _"Why couldn't you get to sleep?" she asked, frowning. "Stop shaking, Ayato. It's weak."_

 _Her grip tightened on his hair. She turned his head upwards to look at her, scowling when she saw his eyes bulging with fright._

 _"I'm so thirsty," he replied, quietly. He rubbed his temples hard, leaving red marks across his pale skin."I feel as if I'm going mad."_

 _Cordelia pulled the boy closer, wrapping both arms around him. "Oh my love, you are not mad. You are just special. My special son."_

 _She pulled down the high neck of her night-gown. Ayato watched her closely, uncertain. "What-?"_

" _Drink from me."_

" _I-I-" he stammered, shaking his head. "I don't think I should do that again. I shouldn't do that, should I?"_

 _His Mother glared at him, then raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face. Ayato whimpered, holding his sore cheek in his palm. The woman scoffed at him, smirking. "Do not defy me, Ayato. If you are to be the best, you should drink only the best. It will make you strong, my darling."_

 _Ayato didn't speak, just nodded his head silently. He tried not to let her see the tears growing in his eyes. Cordelia smiled at him sweetly, holding his chin in her hand and stroking the skin gently._

" _Good boy."_

 _-0-_

"Yui! Open the door!"

The girl sat bolt upright in bed, wide eyes fixed on the door to her bedroom. The wood was banging hard against the frame as the person on the other side hit the panels desperately. This wasn't how she expected her night to begin - who on Earth could it be?

"Who's there?" she called out, stepping lightly out of the bed and crossing the room.

"Now! Hurry the fuck up, girl!"

"Subaru?" she asked, confused. Hesitantly, she approached the door and unlocked the latch. Usually the vampire would have just barged his way in, why would he bother to wait for her. "What's the matter?"

The girl gasped when she caught sight of the youngest Sakamaki, who was leaning heavily against the doorframe immediately in front of her. His stark white hair was stained on one side with viscious, red blood. The liquid trickled from a wound on his forehead, down his cheeks and merged with the stream which dripped from his split bottom lip. Bruises were blossoming around his bright crimson eyes and his clothes were torn to shreds in certain places. He limped into her room and slammed the door behind him, leaning back against it for support. As his head rolled back, she noticed the numerous bite marks that littered his body - his neck, arms, chest, everywhere seemed to be covered.

Yui raised a hand and gently touched his arm. "Oh my goodness! What happened?"

The vampire pushed her away, stumbled across the room and sat down on the end of her bed. Yui grimaced as blood dripped across the duvet, but she rushed to his side regardless. He was panting heavily, due to his injuries.

"Wait there," she instructed. "I'll get some towels."

He caught her arm and pulled her back down before she could move away from him. "No, don't bother. It's fine."

She frowned and drew her arm back. "It is not fine! What happened?"

Subaru hissed in pain at her sharp action. "Shu-"

"Shu?" Yui gasped. "What did he, I mean - why did he do this?"

He nodded, wiping his sleeve across his forehead to remove some of the blood from his face. "The triplets gave him something, dunno what, but it worsened the effect of the full moon. He would have torn you to pieces if I hadn't-"

"Hadn't what?" Yui replied, worriedly. What did he mean? Though she fretted for Subaru, her thoughts immediately fixed on Shu - where was he? "What happened?"

Subaru looked wearily at her. "I got him down into the cellars, locked him up until the moon waned. He will probably need to rest a bit - fucking hell, so will I."

Yui smiled at the white haired boy. She reached out and took one of his hands in hers. "Thank you."

He tutted and rolled his eyes. "Don't thank me, I didn't do it for you."

"Then-?"

Subaru withdrew his hand from hers and ran it through his matted hair. "I don't consider those assholes to be family, but Shu is my brother. We have always looked out for each other."

"I see," Yui replied, looking at him affectionately. "I will look out for him too."

The boy gave her a half-smile. He tried to push himself away from the bed but his knees buckled and he fell back down with a low growl of pain. Yui stood and placed her hands on her hips.

"You are staying here to rest, mister," she ordered. The girl began to potter around her room, gathering towels and water to help him.

Subaru rolled his eyes at her, but shuffled back on the bed and rested his back against the headboard. He watched her closely as she moved, a bemused smile on his face.

"Don't go doing this again," she said, placing the bowl of water on the bedside table. "I don't like seeing you in such a state. Here - towel."

He caught the small, white cloth as she threw it to him, wincing in pain at the movement. "Ow - fuck. Yeah, don't worry, I wouldn't do this twice. Shu can be a real aggressive bastard when he's angry."

Yui sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed. She took the towel from Subaru's hand and soaked it in the warm water. After a moment, she removed it and wrung the excess back into the bowl. Gently, she began to pat the blood from the large gash on his forehead. The vampire tried not to flinch and grit his teeth together, trying to ignore the pain.

"I hope you got in a few punches for this," she muttered, dipping the towel back into the water.

"I certainly did," he answered, with a grin. "But better me than you."

"That's not how I'd put it," she replied. She frowned as she moved to wipe the blood from the bite marks on his neck. "Does this hurt, you know, for other vampires?"

"Getting bitten?" he asked, clenching his fists as she rubbed a tender spot.

"Yes. And having your blood sucked.."

"Yes, it still hurts. Probably a lot less than it hurts for you. We bite one another when we fight, but if you look closer, there was no blood sucked from me, it's just from the pressure of breaking the skin. Blood-sucking is different - it's not for sustenance when it's from another vampire."

Yui placed the towel back into the bowl and watched as crimson patterns spread across the water. "I don't understand."

"Well, you could just eat gruel to live, right? So why do you eat chocolate?"

"Um - because it's enjoyable, I suppose."

"Exactly. Blood, between us, well - it's more of an intimate thing," he said, blushing slightly.

"Oh, r-right," Yui numbled, wringing out the towel again. "Pull up your sleeve please, there's quite a lot of blood coming out of this arm."

Subaru nodded and pushed the sleeve of his shirt over his elbow. She grimaced when she saw the large tear in the skin around his wrist. They sat together quietly for a while, the only sounds permeating the room were the light drips of blood on water and the occasional hiss from Subaru. The vampire was staring at the ceiling, seemingly lost in thought.

Eventually, as she moved to the other side of the bed to tend to his mauled shoulder, he looked back at her and sighed.

"Ayato won't give up on trying to ruin this, you know."

Yui's smile dropped as she took a seat next to him. "What do you mean?"

Subaru looked down at his hands, twisting them together as if he were debating his next words. "He's obsessed with your blood."

She rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Tell me about it, he never st-"

"No, you don't understand," he interrupted. "Laito has said you taste like Cordelia. Almost exactly like Cordelia."

"Who?" she asked, furrowing her brow. She was certain she had heard that name before.

"The mother of the triplets. She was a hateful creature."

"But why would that-?"

Subaru cried out loudly as she pressed down on his shoulder, but quickly waved away her concerns and squeezed his eyes shut as she continued her ministrations. "The triplets all had their strange relationships with her. Ayato hated her so much, but-"

Yui removed the cloth and wrung the water out for a final time. "But what?"

"I dunno, it was just fucking weird," he replied, opening his eyes again. "They sucked each other's blood all the time. Ayato used to boast that he was the best son because she didn't want to taste Kanato or Laito. It was the only sort of affection he got from her."

She wrinkled her nose. "But didn't you say that was more of an intimate act between vampires?"

"Trust me, it's not the worst thing she did to them. Not by a long shot," he commented, darkly. "Anyway, after they killed her, Ayato drank from the corpse for hours. I think it sent him mad, not having her blood around after that. As the daughter of the Demon Lord, her blood was powerful, addictive. He craved it."

"They killed her?" Yui exclaimed, shocked.

"Huh? You didn't know that?" Subaru asked, raising an eyebrow. Yui shook her head, horrified. She began to feel sick. The hands that had touched her so closely and affectionately had been used to kill his own Mother. "Well, now, with you here, tasting so like her - I think he's losing his grip."

"But, I'm not her!" she said, exasperated.

"Obviously."

"What can I do?" she asked, running a hand through her hair. "He won't listen to me."

Subaru sighed again, stretching his fingers out in front of him. "I've no idea. He won't listen to anyone."

Yui let out a frustrated groan and began to pace across the room, completely at a loss. She paused and turned back to the white-haired brother. "Is there a way of changing my blood?"

He frowned. "Well, you could die. It rots the blood, makes it tasteless."

She rolled her eyes. "I'd rather not die."

"Well, you don't have to die fully to become dead," he replied, moving his shoulder up and down to stretch the muscles out.

"What?"

He let out a grunt as pain shot through his arm. "Well, you could turn into one of us."

Yui's eyes widened in surprise. "I don't think-"

"You should go and find Shu, Yui. I'm sure he needs you more than I do," he cut in. "I'm gonna try and get some rest here, so if you need to bang, go in his room."

"Subaru!"

The vampire smirked at her and jerked his chin toward the door. "Get going, kid."

Yui smiled at him and nodded, turning on her heel and heading for the door. "Thank you again."

"Yui - wait!" he called. She stopped and looked back at him, hand stilling on the doorknob. "Take my knife with you, okay?"

"I'm never without it," she responded, patting the pocket of her shorts with a smile. He nodded at her, brow furrowed in concern, then gently shut his eyes to rest.

He was an odd boy, she thought, as she walked out into the corridor. For the youngest brother, he seemed so mature. She set off in a jog, heart pounding. It was hard to tell if she were nervous or excited to see Shu - she certainly hoped whatever had been forced into his system the previous evening had dissipated by this time.

-0-

 _It had been two days since her husband had left on business and she missed him terribly. Still, she always had Richter to play with. A sudden bang from the end of the room drew her attention. Her son was stood in the doorway, a bright red flush spread across his cheeks._

" _Ayato," Cordelia said, a smile rising on her lips. As he grew nearer to the table she was sat behind, she noted the furious expression on his face._

" _Why didn't you tell me?" Ayato snapped, slamming his hand down on the tabletop. She looked down at his hand, amused by his little tantrum._

" _Why didn't I tell you what?" she replied, rolling her eyes._

" _You know exactly what I'm talking about, Mother," he spat, one fist clenching at his side. "You let our uncle Richter suck your blood! I thought-"_

" _You didn't need to know," Cordelia replied, casting her eyes back down to the window._

" _I didn't need to know?" Ayato shouted back at her. She looked back up at him. His eyes were wide, but not with anger. He looked desperate. "Why would you keep something like that from me? You always said I was the only one who got to do that - I'm special! I'm the only one who deserves it!"_

 _Cordelia stood suddenly and slapped him hard across the face. Ayato's eyes widened in surprise and he took a step back. His Mother leaned across the desk, eyes burning with hatred._

" _You are a pathetic child," Cordelia hissed, venom lacing her words. "I have let you drink from me for years, hoping that you would become great. You're nothing but a snivelling disappointment."_

" _But-" Ayato began, brow furrowing in anger._

" _Get out," she snapped. Ayato flinched at her tone, surprised by the rage he never knew his Mother possessed. "I suppose I will have to find some other way of - never mind. Leave. Do not expect to taste my blood again."_

 _Ayato's mouth dropped open in disbelief. He paused, as if lost for words. Slowly, he turned away from his Mother and walked out of the study, slamming the door behind him. Out of sight of his Mother, he gripped his hair between his hands and began to scream._

-0-

As Yui rounded the corner which led to the stairs, she suddenly collided head first with someone else. With a gasp, she stepped away from them and looked up to see Reiji standing in front of her. He gave her a stern glare, eyes shining behind his spectacles.

"Don't run in the house. How uncouth," he chastised, grabbing her upper arm. The vampire pulled her close to him, tilting his head to peer down at her. "You still stink of him, disgusting."

"Get off me!" Yui cried, trying to yank her arm out of his grasp. His grip was strong and she found herself unable to get away.

"Don't talk to me like that," he snapped, narrowing his eyes. "Let me guess, you're running to see that worthless piece of garbage in the cellar?"

"He's not-"

Reiji gripped her arm so tightly that she yelped in pain. The man threw her sideways, sending her crashing into the wall. He stepped in front of her, holding her chin harshly with one hand.

"That's exactly what he is!" he snarled. He leaned in closer and began to speak softly. "You would be so much better off with me."

Yui pushed him roughly away, much to his surprise. When he lurched forward, she withdrew Subaru's knife from her pocket. In her panic, she slashed it forward and the blade sliced into his chest. The cut was only shallow, but it seemed to perturb the vampire enough to force him backward. Yui didn't wait for his reaction, instead taking to her heels and running. She sprinted down the hallway, rounded the corner and began to descend the stairs, trying not to trip whilst maintaining her speed. She needed to find Shu - they needed to get out of this house! The lights above her flickered then shut off completely, sending the room into darkness. Though her heart pounded hard against her chest, the girl didn't slow down, guiding herself by the faint light of the moon that trickled in through the windows. As she tore through the main hall, she could hear Laito's sing-song voice echoing around her.

"Come on, Little Bitch, stop running."

"Stop running - now!" came Kanato's hysteric cry.

"Subaru! Shu!" she panted, turning another corner. She hoped they would hear her - she knew that she would not be able to do this alone.

The triplets raucous laughter filled her ears, though she still could not see them. Terror gripped her, but she refused to give up. As she approached the staircase which led down to the cellars, she noticed a dark figure stood at the top. She slowed her speed before she ran straight into the shadow and began to catch her breath.

"Stop running," the figure ordered, walking forward. Yui's stomach churned as the moonlight illuminated Ayato's sharp features. He looked tense, ready to attack.

"Don't come near me, Ayato," she warned, holding out the blade.

He smirked at her, chuckling. "C'mon, Pancake. You couldn't do it before and you ain't gonna do it now."

Yui stood firm, trying not to show the terror she felt inside. "I-I'm warning you. Let me pass."

"Look at you. Fuck, you know I crave that fear in your eyes," the boy laughed. He gazed at her, face dropping into a serious expression. "Why didn't you choose me?"

"I-"

"No!" he shouted, clenching his fists at his sides. Yui flinched at the sudden change in his temper. "You don't get to make excuses. Fuck this - _your_ choice doesn't matter! You're mine. You're prey, that's all you are."

"Was your Mother prey too?" Yui replied, angrily.

Ayato froze. He stared at her blankly, shocked. Suddenly, his arm shot out and grabbed the candelabra from the sideboard. The vampire swung it round, then released it, causing it to collide with the window and smash the glass. Razor sharp shards embedded itself into her skin and opened wounds on her arms and cheeks. She cried out in pain and fell to the floor. Glass crunched beneath her body and as she attempted to push herself up the heels of her hands were torn to bloody shreds.

Before she could stand, she felt something tug on the back of her shirt and she was lifted up from the floor. She was twirled around and pushed back violently, sending her flying into the wall. Yui let out a pained cough and opened her eyes to see Ayato standing close to her, hands placed on either side of her head. He cocked his head and smiled at her. Slowly, he raised one hand and smoothed a finger over her cheek. As he drew his hand back, she could see her blood tipping his finger.

"Don't talk about her," he said, softly. He licked the spot of blood from his finger, groaning slightly as it touched his tongue. "It's strange, an innocent thing like you tasting so much like that person."

"Let me go!" she spat, pushing her hands forcefully against his chest.

Ayato didn't budge, despite her efforts. He caught her wrists and slammed them back into the wall beside her head. "No. I will take my place as the head of this family. I will become the Demon Lord and you will-"

"I'm will never be yours!"

The boy's expression darkened and his shoulders began to shake with anger. Yui stepped back as he started to advance on her, still holding the knife out in front.

"Fine by me" he hissed, voice a soft whisper. The tone was so different from his usual brashness that it sent a shiver down her spine. "I don't want you, you pathetic creature. You're just a container."

He brought his fist out to his side and slammed it into the wall. The concrete crumbled under his hand. Yui gasped in fright and continued to move back.

"It's the blood I want. It makes me feel so powerful, Yui-"

His tirade was cut off by a loud snarl. A blur of monochrome shot in front of her eyes, hurtling into Ayato and sending him crashing into one of the walls of the main hall. Yui span to face the collision and saw Subaru standing over his fallen brother. He was panting heavily and using the sideboard to prop himself upright, but he turned back and swiped his hand at her.

"Go, now. Get out of here," he growled, head whipping back to Ayato as the red-head clambered to his feet.

Yui didn't stay to watch but as she descended the stairs, the horrific sound of shouts, bites, tears and beating echoed behind her. The girl let out a small sob, praying that the youngest Sakamaki would be okay. She didn't want this - no one should be fighting or dying for the sake of her blood or love or whatever this mess was about!

In the main hall, Subaru loomed over his brother, clutching his side with his hands. A wound inflicted upon him the previous evening had reopened and was now seeping through his shirt.

"You have to stop this," Subaru wheezed, pushing himself away from the sideboard.

Ayato groaned in pain, moving onto his knees. He stook up shakily, glaring at his brother. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"Wrong with me?" Subaru replied, angrily. "You're still obsessing over that blood!"

"That blood belongs to me" Ayato snarled, moving toward his brother. He threw a punch at his stomach, but was blocked by Subaru's arm. "It has always belonged to me."

"Why do you want it so badly?" he said, frowning. He pushed his brother back roughly. "Yui is not Cordelia, Ayato. As much as you might want to believe that."

"You don't understand, asshole," the red-head answered. Subaru noticed the strange, glazed look in his eyes - he looked demented, like his mind wasn't as stable as it had once been. "She tastes just like her. It's her blood, I know it is. I didn't notice at first, but I've drunk so much of it, Subaru. The power it gives me, the _high._ I need it."

"Do you care about Yui at all?" his brother replied, clenching his fists in anger.

Ayato laughed. "Of course not. I thought I might, but tasting that blood - her blood - reminded me that there is little point in bothering. It's the blood, it's just the blood-"

With a grunt, the white haired brother raised his knee and jammed it hard into his opponents abdomen. Ayato let out a gasp and fell backward. His head struck the edge of the sideboard when he dropped, knocking him unconscious.

 _-0-_

 _"My boy. My darling, darling boy. From the moment you were born, you were always the priority. Oh my darling. You look so much like your Father."_

 _Ayato snuffed his cigarette out on the bedside table, making sure to miss the ashtray and burn straight into the antique wood. He pushed himself off the bed, eyes sliding to the woman lying between the sheets. Bite marks littered her throat, remnants of their sin. Their matching green eyes met briefly, before Ayato turned away and grabbed his shirt from the floor. Her blood still coursed through his veins, burning every part of him._

 _"I hate you."_

 _-0-_

Ayato opened his eyes, moaning when the rush of pain coursed through his head. He stood up, vision hazy, breath short.

"Subaru?" he slurred, leaning back against the wall. He received no response - the hall was still darkened, empty.

Thirst burned the back of his throat - he could smell her everywhere.

 _-0-_

 _It spilled from his Mother's skull as he struck her again and again with the three-pronged candelabra that used to sit atop the sideboard. Kanato screamed as her body hit the floor, pieces of gore splattering the face of his brother as he raised the metal instrument again. Ayato looked down at his Mother's body with disdain, ignoring the screeching of his hysterical brother._

 _"Am I special now?" he hissed, kneeling, then raising the candelabra once more._

 _He slammed it down against the woman's face, distorting the eyes so similar to his own. He grunted with exertion, crushing the jaw first, then the nose until there was little left but a pulp, a mush of blood and flesh. He would be the only one with those eyes, there would be no connection to this - this horrible creature, anymore. He stood, looking to the terrified Kanato and Laito, who remained stock still, eyes wide. Behind them was a large, ornate mirror, in which he saw the reflection of himself. His white school shirt was saturated with red. His face, his hands, were covered with the remains of his Mother. An errant drop of blood dripped from his hair onto his outstretched hand. A vile grin spread over his face as he let the candelabra clatter to the wooden floor of the drawing room._

 _"She won't hurt us anymore," he whispered, gently. Laito watched him silently. "There's so much blood, isn't there?"_

 _Ayato let out a breath, surveying the mess that surrounded him. The mirror reflected a boy with wild eyes, hands stained with life. Without waiting for his brothers, he knelt down to Cordelia's body and began to fill his mouth with blood. He felt more powerful than ever before, he felt majestic, he was so fulfilled-_


	10. Chapter 10

-0-

" _Ayato?"_

 _The young boy looked up from behind his knees, wiping his snotty nose with the back of his hand. Through the tears, he could see his older brother Shu standing in front of him. The blonde knelt down and offered him his handkerchief._

" _Are you okay?" he asked, quietly._

 _Ayato nodded, snatching the handkerchief from his hands. He blew his nose noisily and tried to calm the sobs in his chest. "Y-yeah. Fine."_

 _Shu watched him silently. A dark circle ringed Ayato's left eye. The eldest Sakamaki had seen the way Cordelia attempted to drown him, he'd seen the way she watched him struggle and had laughed as he tried to keep his head above the water. The boy's clothes were still wet and clung to his shivering body. He wasn't close to his younger brother, but he still didn't like to see him in such a state and he certainly didn't like Cordelia. Not after the way she had treated Beatrix- his Mother had been driven half-insane by the other woman's taunting._

 _Shu's blank expression turned downward into a frown. "Did she do something?"_

 _The red-head looked back at him, throwing the tissue down on the floor. It was odd for Shu to speak to him - he rarely spoke to anyone, not after that friend of his died. He'd been quite cheerful and easy-going before that incident, but now the boy usually locked himself away in his room, immersing himself in the studies that Beatrix forced upon him. When he did show his face, he kept his eyes lowered, his mouth shut._

" _Ayato - speak to me," Shu said, tilting his head down to catch his gaze._

" _Yes," he answered, softly. Shu's clear blue eyes implored him to talk. His small hands clenched at his sides and he squeezed his eyes shut, trying not to cry. "S-she-"_

 _Shu sighed and sat down beside him, leaning back against the wall. He watched as Ayato's body began to shake and a few tears slipped out from between his closed eyelids. Although he had no condolences to offer, no experience to draw from, he raised his arm and laid it across the other boy's shoulders, ignoring the feeling of the dampness from Ayato's wet clothes seeping into his sleeve. He pulled him in closer and rolled his head back as his brother wept silently into his chest._

" _I-I'm going to kill her one day," the boy cried,voice slightly muffled by Shu's shirt. "I'm going to kill her because of what she's doing to us.'_

 _Shu closed his eyes. The conviction behind his brother's words was palpable - Ayato was the oldest triplet and fiercely protective of his siblings. Shu had overheard Laito's muffled moans from behind his Mother's bedroom door. He'd seen Kanato giggling as he sliced deeper into his bloody arms, desperate to get her attention. Murder would not be a surprise._

-0-

The sounds of hissing and beating faded the further Yui descended into the depths of the house. She grabbed a burning torch from the wall and quickly shone the light behind her, to check if she was being followed. It seemed to be clear, so she pushed open the heavy wooden door to the dungeons and rushed inside. She rarely ventured into the bowels of the Manor, the place was a twisting maze of dark, dripping tunnels and murky waterways - one could get lost if not careful. When she entered the cellars she began to run from cell to cell, shouting Shu's name at the top of her voice. She ran further into the darkness, holding the torch out in front of her, lighting the others that were mounted upon the walls each time she stopped for breath. The tunnels seemed to stretch on forever and soon she rounded another corner to another identical corridor. Six barred cells were dug into the walls, three on either side of the central waterway. The air was dense this far into the dungeons - she could taste something metallic on her tongue. Exactly what it was, she didn't linger upon.

"Shu?" she called out, voice now hoarse from shouting.

"So loud," came a hushed sigh from the fourth cell along.

The girl let out a cry of relief. "Shu?"

"I'm here," he called, stretching a hand out so she could see his location. Yui ran toward the cell, stopping to light the wall-mounted torches on the way. As the light grew in the dim tunnel, she threw her torch into the waterway and finally came to his prison. The girl fell to her knees, grabbing his fingers and clutching them tightly in her hands. She desperately wanted to throw her arms around him, but he was still stuck behind the thick iron bars of the cell. Shu was sprawled out on the floor, casually leaning back against the cold stone wall. He turned to look at her as she lowered down beside him and gave her a wry smile.

"Are you okay?" she asked, pressing her lips to his knuckles. "I was so worried."

Shu looked dreadful, she thought, as she looked over his form. Though the light was dim, she could still see his mussed, blood-stained hair, the deep scratches on his arms and the dark shadows that hollowed out his exhausted features. She raised her hand and gently touched his cheek through the bars. Shu sighed, closing his eyes as he revelled in the warmth of her skin.

"I'm fine," he replied croakily. He looked back up at her, taking her hand away from his cheek and holding it in his. "Are you alright?"

"I'm okay," she answered. "We need to go, Shu. I don't know where but we need to get away from your brothers."

His eyes narrowed. "Where's Subaru? Is he-"

"He's-" Yui began. She looked down at her lap, trying not to let him see the worry in her eyes. "He's upstairs, he stopped Ayato from-"

Shu's face filled with guilt. "I could have killed him."

"Pfft, would take a better man than you, asshole."

Yui jumped at the new voice that echoed around the tunnel. Shu clenched her hand tighter and gave her a reassuring smile. He stood up and turned his head to see Subaru smirking at them both in the dim torchlight. Yui rushed to the white haired vampire and supported his body as he started to stumble toward them.

"Bugger off, Yui," he scowled, brushing her hands away. "I can do it myself."

The girl glared at him, reluctantly allowing him to pass. He made a sarcastic face at her, but followed it with a smile.

Shu nodded at him as he approached. "You okay?"

"Yeah," his brother wheezed. "No sweat."

He raised his hand and threw something toward Shu who deftly caught it. "What's this?"

"Key for the door. Best let yourself out," Subaru answered. He leaned against the wall, sighing as a twinge shot through his shoulder. "We need to get her out of here. Ayato's gone fucking nuts - he won't stop harping on about Cordelia."

"Cordelia?" Shu asked, raising an eyebrow. He frowned at his brother's obvious pain, but chose not to comment. He unlocked the door and stepped out into the corridor. "Why would he be talking about her? She's been dead for years."

Yui rushed forward and threw her arms around the blonde, hugging him tightly. Shu smiled down at her and placed a hand gently on her cheek. Subaru rolled his eyes at them.

"Dunno, Shu. He seems to think that Yui's blood is Cordelia's or some bullshit nonsense. He wasn't making much sense."

Shu tensed, nose wrinkling in disgust. "What? Yui has nothing to do with that woman."

"I know. Hence why I'm saying he's gone nuts. Regardless of what has caused that - we need to leave," Subaru said, frowning.

The blonde vampire sighed. Ayato had gone mad before, just once and drinking his Mother's blood had sent him there. But she was long dead. Although it had been so difficult to rid this younger brother of her poison the first time around, there was no way that it could still be affecting him. But, if he was convinced that Yui's blood belonged to Cordelia, Shu doubted that there would be any reasoning with him. An idea began to form in his head. If he couldn't reason with Ayato, he would need to get rid of the cause of his madness. Would that work? He stared at the waterway in silence for a moment before turning back to look at Subaru.

"I need you to take Yui to the Tower. She'll be safe there."

"The Tower?! Why?"

"And where are you going?" Yui asked, looking up at Shu.

He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. This wasn't right - he needed more time to think! "Can you take her there?"

The albino looked distressed for a moment and crossed his arm over his stomach. "I don't know if that's the safest place for a human to go at the moment, Shu."

"That won't be an issue," Shu replied, pointedly. He rubbed his temples roughly with his fingers, as if trying to concentrate. He didn't want to look at Yui, if he did he felt like he might change his mind and then there would be no way out of this mess.

Subaru's mouth dropped open. "Really? You're gonna just do it now?"

"Can you take her to the Tower?"

Subaru motioned to his injured shoulder. "Might be slower than usual, but yeah, course I can. But look, I really don't know if this is-"

"Good. She just needs to be out of this house. Yui, you need to stay with Subaru until I come to get you, okay?"

The girl clenched his shirt between her fingers. "Not unless you tell me where you're going and what on Earth is going on!"

"I - I have to go to the main house," Shu replied, opening his eyes. "With Reiji."

Subaru gave him a surprised look, eyes widening. "You mean you're gonna-?"

"I can see no other route out of this, can you?"

"Well," he said, holding out his hand. "Good luck, Shu."

The two brothers clasped hands for a moment before releasing their grip. Shu sighed and finally looked down at Yui.

"I didn't want to do this now, Yui. Tell me - do you wish to be with me?" he asked, taking her hand in his. Her panic began to calm as she looked him deep in the eyes. His thumb stroked her skin gently and he offered her a warm smile.

"Of course," she answered, giving him a soft kiss.

"And you want to be with me forever?"

Yui looked at him, bemused. Why was he asking such strange questions if they were in such a hurry, she thought to herself."Yes, I do."

The vampire gazed back at her sadly and swallowed thickly. "Then please forgive me for this. When you wake up, we'll - never mind, there's no time to- Subaru, please make sure I don't-"

"Yeah, I'll keep an eye on ya'," he replied, curtly.

Yui frowned. "I'm confused, what's going to happen? What are you-?"

Shu span them both around and pressed her gently into the damp wall. One of his hands held her wrist against the stone, the other moved to gather her hair away from one side of her neck.

"I want to be with you too, Yui," he murmured, pressing his lips to hers. Her heart leapt at his words, though she still felt strangely uneasy due to the worried expression on his face. He drew back, gaze lowering to her throat. "I'm sorry. This will hurt."

"S-Shu, what are y-," she was cut off when he sank his fangs deeply into her neck, far deeper than he had ever gone. The girl shrieked as he began to drink deeply, rapidly, so fast that a great deal of her blood spilled from between his lips and splattered noisily across the floor.

"Shu! Stop, please, oh God! It burns, please!" she screamed, trying her hardest to push him away from her.

He stood firm and continued to drain her blood, trying his best to ignore her pained cries. The vampire screwed his eyes shut, unable to block out the noise. He didn't want to her hurt, he truly didn't, but this was the only way to keep her safe now. As the girl began to go limp in his arms and he felt her heart beat slow, he couldn't help but notice the familiar tang to her blood. It wasn't the taste, no, this was not a familiar flavour- it was the smell. A sort of floral musk, mixed with something deeper, more earthy. His eyes widened as Yui's heart stopped completely. It was Cordelia - _she smelt like Cordelia_. He withdrew, looking down at the girl's still, pale face, confused. He hadn't been able to place that smell before, he'd never drunk enough to realize. But now, saturated in her blood, it was obvious, it was overpowering - it was downright bizarre. The blood burned the back of his throat. It was delicious, the power of it pulsed under his skin, it was dizzying-

"Shu! Come on, hurry up!"

Subaru's voice brought him from his thoughts, so he shook his head - he could not linger on this now. He had to save Yui - she was not Cordelia, he must be imagining things. This was Yui, the girl who bought him violin strings. Quickly, he raised his hand to his lips and drew his fangs across the skin, causing his own blood to trickle down his palm. He let it drip into her open mouth and coat her tongue. Leaving his hand at her lips, he lowered his head back down to her neck and viciously sucked her blood whilst it was still hot. He could see why Ayato craved this feeling, this power - it was utterly overwhelming.

-0-

 _It had been weeks since her blood last touched his tongue and it was driving him crazy. Her scent was everywhere, he couldn't escape from it. It disgusted him how much he craved that feeling again, how he longed to have her blood rush through his veins. Ayato hated himself for still so desperately seeking her approval. Since she stopped supplying him with blood and she no longer referred to him as the best, he had made every effort to pander to her wishes. He was the best and he deserved that blood, he would show her that. Part of him wanted to destroy her, to save himself and his brothers from her grip - the other part replayed her words over and over in his head._

 _You're a disappointment. You're a disappointment. You're a disappointment-_

" _Ayato, what are you doing?" Laito asked, with a yawn. He stretched out across the sofa, watching his brother, who was sat on the floor, lost in his own thoughts._

" _Mother wanted me to read this book," Ayato replied, holding up the heavy tome so Laito could see. "It's really boring."_

" _A book?" Laito repeated, chuckling. "Why does she want that?"_

" _She wants me to be the best," he replied, shrugging. "She never gives me any other reason."_

 _Laito sighed, lacing his hands over his stomach. "She works you too hard."_

 _Ayato scowled, snapping the book shut. "You don't get to be the best taking it easy, Laito."_

" _And by 'the best' you mean the family successor, right?" he replied, laughing. "Because if that's the case, you're not the best and you're never gonna be."_

" _What the fuck do you mean by that?"_

" _Well, Shu is the successor. He's the oldest. Can't change that."_

 _Ayato glared at his brother silently for a moment, his face reddening in anger. He let out an angry cry and threw the heavy book toward Laito. It clipped the boy's head and fell to the floor behind the sofa. Laito sat up straight, head turning to look at Ayato._

" _What was that for?" he asked, lips quirking into a smile._

" _You're tryin' to piss me off, aren't you?" Ayato replied, angrily._

 _Laito laughed highly and leaned against the arm of the sofa lazily. That was exactly what he was trying to do. Ayato was a hothead at the best of times and it was amusing to watch his tantrums. "Of course not. I'm simply telling the truth."_

" _Don't be such an asshole," Ayato grunted, standing up from the floor. He walked across the room and stood in front of the fire, staring straight into the dancing flames. The vampire sighed and closed his eyes, taking pleasure in the warmth that emanated from the hearth. "You don't need to remind me."_

 _The other boy frowned, this wasn't the reaction he expected. Ayato usually flew off the handle and tussled with him but today he was an odd mixture of aggravated and exhausted._

" _What's the matter with you, Ayato?"_

" _I'm just tired," he replied, opening his eyes. A piece of charcoal crumbled into itself sending sparks into the air. "Nothing is ever good enough for her."_

 _Laito sighed and stood, moving over to stand next to his brother. He placed his hand on the other boy's shoulder and squeezed it gently. "Do you actually want to be the successor, Ayato? Or are you just doing this to impress h-"_

" _You stink of her," Ayato interrupted, head snapping to look at Laito. "Have you-?"_

 _All joviality dropped from Laito's expression and the two brothers stared at one another blankly._

" _We can't go on like this," the red-head stated, shrugging his brother's hand from his shoulder. His voice raised slightly as he turned to face Laito fully. "I don't want to carry on busting my ass when she's never satisfied. I'm not happy like this! Kanato won't stop hurting himself to try and get her attention. And I sure as hell don't want to hear what she does to you anymore!"_

" _She doesn't do-"_

" _It's not right, Laito! Fucking hell, how can you not see that?" he cried, grabbing ahold of his brother's collar roughly. He pulled him closer, desperately. "I feel like I'm going crazy! She's using all of us!"_

 _Laito hissed at him and pushed him away. "I smell her blood on your lips every day and I never say a word. Mind your own fucking business."_

" _I haven't drunk her blood in a-"_

" _Why?" Laito sneered, looking him up and down. "Because she won't let you anymore, will she? She told you that you were a disappointment, didn't she?"_

 _Ayato froze, releasing his hold on his brother's collar. "I-"_

" _And you're trying to win her back by doing all this stupid reading?" he laughed. "Try harder."_

 _He gave Ayato one final angry glance then shoved his hands in his pockets and strode out of the study. The red-head growled and slammed his fists onto the space above the mantlepiece. He screwed his eyes shut, fighting back tears. His brothers were so enthralled by their Mother that they wouldn't listen to him. Sometimes, in the middle of the night, they would approach him in a state of madness, realising what she had done but unlike him, they often seemed to repress it beyond recall. He remembered everything. Every insult, every beating, every time she forced her blood into his mouth as a child to try and 'better him'. But wasn't he himself entranced with her too - why else would he be trying so hard to please her? A burning sensation began to claw at the back of his throat. The thirst had gotten so much worse since he'd been without her blood, even though he had still been drinking from humans. Everyday, every second it reminded him harshly of how weak and insignificant, how unsatisfactory, he was._

 _Ayato sighed and pushed himself away from the wall. He could see only one option to remove this weakness, to help his brothers, to end all their suffering. But could he actually kill her - was that the best solution?_

" _Laito will never listen to you," a deep voice muttered. Ayato span around and saw the eldest Sakamaki brother laid out on the leather sofa in front of him. "Cordelia has poisoned his mind too deeply."_

 _He moved to the armchair opposite Shu and took a seat. His head felt full to the brim with conflicting thoughts and the withdrawal symptoms from her blood clouded his ability to rationalise._

" _I dunno what to do, Shu," he mumbled. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and his face in his palms. "I'm going mad."_

 _The blonde opened an eye. "I can't offer any guidance on this."_

 _Ayato let out a deep breath and sat back in his chair, looking over at his brother. "I know."_

" _From a personal point of view, I couldn't care less about being the head of this family, so you're welcome to that title if you wish."_

" _You know, I don't think I really care," he responded, weakly. "I don't think it's the title I want."_

 _Shu raised an eyebrow. "Then what do you want?"_

 _Ayato stared blankly back at him. "Freedom, a clear head, I dunno. I want Laito and Kanato to be happy, I guess. But I don't know how to achieve that while-"_

" _Whilst Cordelia's still alive?" Shu interrupted, closing his eyes again._

" _I don't know if I c- I mean- I," he stammered, lost for words. "She's my Mother."_

 _Shu sighed deeply, head turning to face the ceiling. "I know that her blood has its hold on but you should not think of that hateful woman as your Mother, Ayato. She is nothing but your enemy."_

" _So, you think I should-?"_

" _As I said before," Shu interrupted, tone low. "I cannot offer any guidance. But I trust you to make the right decision."_

 _Ayato groaned and covered his eyes with his hands. He wanted her gone. He didn't want to lose her. He wanted her blood. He wanted it out of his system so he could think straight. Clarity, calm - that was what he needed._

 _-0-_

 _Finally_. Through a heavy sheet of rain, Subaru caught glimpse of dim lights shining in the distance. The outline of the Tower was barely visible in the light of the half moon, but he thanked the stars that it was now only a field away. After trudging through miles of mud on his wounded legs with Yui resting in his arms, he was exhausted, dirty and more than a little irritated. He smiled to herself as he neared the Tower, now able to view it in greater detail. It was an enormous place, built of cobblestone and mortar. It was ever so slightly lopsided, but in much better condition than other archaic buildings. A small chimney was stuck atop the pointed roof, merrily pumping thick plumes of smoke into the night sky. Subaru hurriedly moved toward the Tower, eager to get out of the storm. He knocked brusquely on the door, trying to huddle himself and Yui underneath the tiny porch in order to stave off the rain.

He looked down at the girl who lay motionless in his arms and pulled her coat tighter around her shoulders. It was strangely cold evening and the rain that pelted down from the sky made their journey far more miserable than it should have been. He hadn't even been able to teleport, not in his current state and certainly not with Yui as well. Subaru raised his hand and pounded hard against the wooden door for a second time.

"Open the bloody door! What could possibly take this long?" he shouted, continuing to bang loudly on the wood.

The door quickly flung open and a hand grasped Subaru's fist in mid-air, causing him to yelp at the sudden contact. He looked up at the owner of the hand, a timid smile forming on his face.

"Patience is a virtue, Subaru."

"Let me in already, it's raining!"

Christa smiled at him, releasing his hand from her strong grip. "Manners are also a virtu-"

Subaru cut her off with an annoyed growl and stomped past her, shaking his matted hair, sending raindrops splattering across the floorboards. The woman smiled, closing the door behind her.

"What brings you here, Subaru? I didn't expect a visi- _visitors_."

"I'll explain when we get upstairs, okay," he sighed.

"Who is that?" Christa replied, peering down at the girl in his arms.

"Let's get her upstairs first," he said, ushering his Mother down the hallway and into the ornate metal lift that would take them to the top floor of the Tower, thankfully bypassing the hundreds of spiralling stairs. The pair stepped into the elevator and Christa pushed down on the solitary button until the doors slid shut. Subaru was inwardly relieved - his Mother seemed to be lucid for the time being, though these periods rarely lasted for long.

"Is she alright?" she asked, raising a brow.

Subaru snapped out of his thoughts and shrugged. "No idea. I hope so."

The elevator chimed and the iron doors slid open with a screech, revealing his Mother's quarters. The main room contained four large, squashy sofas were arranged in a square around a low wooden table, on which sat a number of lit candles. Bundles of papers bound by string, were stacked around the room, covering multiple tables and such a large floorspace that he could barely see the Persian-style rug that was placed beneath the furniture. To his left was a large open hearth, in which a fire crackled merrily. Their mansion was grand, certainly, but it lacked any homely qualities and for the first time in months, Subaru felt comfortable in his surroundings _._ He gently laid Yui's limp body down on one of the sofa's near the fireplace, taking care not to leave her in an awkward position. Christa watched him quietly from the other side of the room, twisting her hands together nervously.

"Who is she?" she asked, moving to the sofa opposite them and taking a seat. "She doesn't smell right."

"Yui," Subaru replied. He gently brushed the girl's hair away from her eyes and behind her ear. "She was a sacrificial bride."

Christa tensed. "I see. One of _his_?"

He shook his head, looking back up at his Mother. "She was for us."

"And, are you-?"

"No," he interrupted, walking to the seat furthest from the fire. He groaned in pain as he sat down, wounds still fresh. "Shu."

Christa smiled, looking into the fire. "He was always such a nice boy."

"Yeah," Subaru replied, stretching his legs out in front of him. He closed his eyes and sighed, leaning back into the pillows. It was good to finally rest, to have some peace.

"Why did you bring her here?" Christa said. "Where is Shu?"

Subaru let out a breath and opened his eyes. He stared up at the ceiling, unsure of how to explain. "It's all messed up."

"How do you mean?" she asked. She frowned slightly. "Have you been fighting again? You're bleeding."

He raised his hand to his forehead and touched the wound gently. Blood stained his fingers when he brought them back down to his eyes. "It's nothing."

Christa paused "Darling, can I get you anything?"

He smirked at her as she stood, raising a brow. "What's with you being all 'mumsy'?"

Christa narrowed her eyes and gave an over-dramatic sigh. "You seem to forget I am your Mother!"

The boy chuckled, giving her a grin. "If I could get something to eat and a dry set of clothes-"

"Of course!" Christa exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "I have a spare set of clothes from your last visit. Let me get them. And then I want you to tell me everything."

The woman bustled out of the room, chirping to herself. Subaru stared into the fire, amused. His Mother was a strange creature, she had no attention span and her moods changed at the drop of a hat. She was utterly unpredictable - but it was obvious that she adored him. From the moment he was born she doted on her son and loved him dearly. If it weren't for her psychotic episodes, he thought, she might have been an excellent parent. She had gotten better since Karlheinz left her alone. It was his influence that turned her brain sour and it did her sanity good to be apart from him. Subaru had noticed the change in her over the past year- she seemed happier, if a little lonely.

"Here you go, darling!" her high voice called out from behind him.

Before he could turn, she tossed the clothes on his head, giggling when he jumped up in surprise.

"I missed you so much Subaru," she said, softly. Her son pulled the clothes off his head and turned back to look at her. She smiled back, beautiful features illuminated by the bright candlelight. "My wonderful son. You can both stay as long as you need."

-0-

Shu entered the main hall quietly. He took in a deep breath and halted in the centre of the room.

"I can hear you all," he called out, voice echoing across the hall. "Come out."

"What did you do to her?" a sweet voice chirped from behind him. Shu looked over his shoulder to see Kanato staring intently at him. "I can't smell her anymore, where has she gone?"

"I can smell her," another voice chuckled.

"Laito?" Shu said. He looked away from Kanato to see Laito and Ayato stood in front of him. The former smiled smugly at him, while the latter stared at the floor, his jaw clenched tightly. It looked like Subaru had roughed him up badly as thick streams of blood trailed down his face from a vicious looking wound near his left temple.

"I can smell her inside of you. You drank her dry, didn't you?" Laito laughed, licking his lips. "How was it?"

Shu grimaced and pushed through the two boys. "I don't have time for this. Where's Reiji?"

Ayato's hand grab his shoulder as he tried to leave. Before he could assault him further, he turned, yanking Ayato's wrist forward. He slammed his brother back against the wall, pinning him down by his neck.

"Get off!" Ayato shouted, baring his fangs and clawing violently at Shu's chest with his fingers.

Shu leaned closer to him and hissed loudly, narrowing his eyes. "I should have ripped your head off last night, brother."

"Then why don't you do it?" Ayato cried, smirking maniacally. "Go on, do it now."

"Because you're not yourself, you fool!" he exclaimed, angrily. Madness shone in Ayato's eyes."Yui is not Cordelia."

"You tasted it too, asshole. Don't pretend you didn't!"

Shu paused, but finally shook his head. "It's not possible Ayato. She's dead, you killed her yourself."

"Then why-?"

"I don't know, but listen to what you're saying. Yui Komori is a totally separate entity - she's a human, not the daughter of the Demon Lord. That blood cannot be the same as your Mother's."

Ayato chuckled darkly. "She was human. You killed her, right? That's why we can't hear her heart beating anymore. If that's the case, can we at least have the corpse before the blood gets cold? I really need-"

A loud slap resounded across the hall as Shu's hand collided with his brother's cheek.

"I thought you sorted this years ago. Enough!" he ordered, released his hold on Ayato. "Reiji! Come here at once!"

He whirled around and shouted his sibling's name again, louder this time. Laito smiled as he observed the blonde - he'd never seen him so full of rage. It was captivating.

"What do you want?" Reiji sighed, as he began to descend the staircase into the main hall. "I don't have time to be wasting on you."

Shu glared at him fiercely. "Then shut up and listen to me."

"Excuse me?" Reiji spluttered, taken aback by his brother's harsh tone. He was used to receiving nothing but silence to his remarks about Shu, so this sudden energy was a shock.

"We're going to see Karlheinz," he replied, placing his hands into his pockets. "So get a coat."

"Karlheinz?" Ayato blurted out, confused.

"Off to tell him you spoiled our plaything?" Kanato giggled. "He won't like that."

"Yui's dead?" Reiji asked, pushing his glasses further up his nose.

Shu rolled his eyes. "No."

Ayato stepped forward. "She's not?"

"No, but she'll be of no use to you anymore either," Shu snapped. "I changed her blood. She's one of us."

Reiji's eyes widened in surprise. "You turned her?"

"What?" Ayato shouted. "No!"

"Be quiet, Ayato," Shu grumbled, under his breath.

"Well, I never expected the little Bitch to become one of us so easily," Laito chuckled. Shu looked down at the ground uncomfortably, which did not go unseen by his brothers. "Oh, so you did it without asking? Tut tut, Shu. She won't like that."

Kanato laughed hysterically. "No, she will not!"

Shu felt his face began to flush, so he moved forward and headed toward the staircase. He shot Reiji a look as he passed him. "Five minutes, front door."

His brother nodded silently as Laito and Kanato continued to scream with laughter. Ayato silently watched Shu as he headed up the stairs, hands trembling. He'd lost her again.


	11. Chapter 11

_He ran a hand through his hair and let out an irritated sigh. With a flick of his wrist he dashed his notes to the floor - this would not do. Nothing but perfection would. He stared at the ivory keys with wide eyes for a moment, before pushing himself up from the small leather stool and wandering to the window. The gardens looked exquisite for once, he thought, looking out at the sprawling labyrinth of pathways and hedges. Everything was covered in a thick layer of snow, flakes of which still fell from the dark night sky. There was silence for the longest time, then he turned, hands thrust deep into his trouser pockets, and looked blankly at the woman now lounging on the sofa behind the piano. She was an imposing creature with her cat-like green eyes and chaotic violet hair. A long tendril of smoke curled out from between her painted lips and her gazed followed it as it dissipated._

 _"I wish you wouldn't do that in here," Shu muttered, eyebrows knitting together. He hadn't even noticed her come in._

 _The older woman turned her head to look at him, one side of her mouth pulling up into a smirk. She blew the rest of the smoke out from between the open area of her lips and lowered her hand, letting the ash from her cigarette crumble onto the glass table next to the sofa._

 _"What are you going to do about it, Shu?" she replied, rolling onto her side. She propped her head up on her hand and smiled again. Shu clenched his fists in his pockets. "Stop me?"_

 _"What's the point?" he sighed, walking back to the piano. He stared down at the crumpled notes with a blank face and picked up his glass of whiskey. Slowly, he swirled the amber liquid around, watching as a small maelstrom began to form in the centre. Just as he raised the glass to his lips, he paused and turned his head to the side to look at her. Her presence never failed to put him on edge. "Get out, Cordelia, I need to work."_

 _Shu was unable to concentrate whenever she was in the room with him. It was difficult to ignore her, she seemed to draw attention from whoever surrounded her. He sat back down on the piano stool and set his glass carefully on the lid of the instrument._

 _"You spend too long cooped up in here," she stated. He heard her moving from the sofa and felt a hand on his shoulder. She leaned forward and her hair tickled the side of his face. "Your Mother works you too hard."_

 _"Get out," he ordered, bluntly. As he moved up to the keys, she leaned forward and grabbed ahold of his fingers, squeezing them painfully together. Shu jerked away from her, hissing._

 _"Why do you tremble?" she asked. She released her grip on his fingers then, and moved her hands onto his shoulder blades, thumbs digging sharply under his bones. "You are so steady when you play. Are you afraid of me?"_

 _"Why do you keep bothering me? I just want to be left alone."_

 _"You need someone other than your own mind to play with, Shu," she answered, softly. He stiffened and shrugged her hands away from his shoulders. "Plus, you interest me."_

 _He raised a brow and swiveled around on the piano stool to face her. "What is that supposed to mean?"_

 _"Ayato is of no use to me but you - you are far from useless, no matter what Reiji says," she cooed, brushing her hair behind one ear. "You could be the leader of this family and I can help you."_

 _She smiled widely and leaned forward, so close her nose brushed him. Had Shu not been taken completely by surprise, he probably would have pushed her away but instead, he sat, wide-eyed and uncertain, as she gently laid a hand against his cheek. Her smell was so intoxicating that he almost leaned in closer but eventually, when he came to his senses, he pushed her back and stood up shakily, rounding the piano stool to stand in front of her._

 _"What are you doing?" he asked, sharply._

 _"Helping you," she replied, smiling. "You can show your brothers that you are the best, not the lazy, useless fool they think you are. I can help you - if you help me in return."_

 _"What could you possibly offer me?"_

 _"Blood" The woman gave him a nasty smirk as she turned her head to the side and stroked her fingers down her throat. "It will help you, it will make you great."_

 _"What?" Shu said, confused. He stepped back from her until the back of his legs collided with the piano stool._

 _"The Demon Lord's blood runs in my veins - do you know what that means?"_

 _He shook his head. There was something manic about Cordelia that made his heart beat faster and his palms sweat in fear._

 _"It means power you've never dreamed of," she hissed, narrowing her eyes._

 _Shu paused, frowning. Her blood was tantalising, certainly, but was it really as powerful as she insinuated? Perhaps, he thought, there had to be some reason that Karlheinz wanted to marry her._

 _"And what do I-?"_

 _"You'll be mine," she interrupted, coolly. "And you will depose your Father."_

 _Be hers? Shu opened his mouth to speak, but found himself unable to think coherently. What she was proposing was utterly mad - but somehow the suggestion would not leave his mind. Normally, he wouldn't give a second thought to the idea - he could not care less about being the family successor, power didn't interest him. But the way she looked at him, with hunger burning in her eyes and the overwhelming smell of her sweet, poisonous blood - thirst clawed at his throat and suddenly everything she said sounded so very appealing. A strange, soft, seductive voice whispered empty promises in his head._

 _"Touch me," she demanded, brows knitting together. Shu hesitated, trying to clear his thoughts, trying to block out her influence. Cordelia groaned and pushed him down onto the stool, glaring at him angrily. She leaned over his body, placing her hands on either side of him on the piano, caging him in. Her beauty struck him, in that moment - the way her wild hair sprouted from her scalp to her waist, how vibrant her eyes were. The voice in his mind grew louder. The scent of her blood permeated the air, he could almost taste it. "Or shall I touch you?"_

 _Shu's eyes widened as her fingers moved to the buttons of his shirt, quickly releasing them, one after the other. When she touched the skin of his chest, he let out a quiet moan, unable to contain himself at the feeling of this new sensation. Her fingers smoothed down his sides, forcing his back to arch toward her. The feeling consumed him for one long, languid moment and he almost raised his hands to touch her - but quickly stopped himself._

 _This was wrong - this was Cordelia. How many years had he watched her torment the other members of his family - it was unthinkable. The man closed his eyes and drove the voice from his head. He stood up suddenly, forcing her backwards and fixed her with hard stare._

 _"I want nothing to do with you, you pathetic creature," he snapped, turning back to the piano. He snatched up his glass and gazed down at the amber liquid. "Your blood may be powerful but you are nothing but a leech. Get out. Do not speak of this again."_

 _A long minute passed in silence. Eventually, as he raised his glass to sip his drink, he heard her shoes clatter against the wooden floor, then the door slam shut. He closed his eyes, letting out a shaky breath and clenching his fist at his side. A second longer and he would have been overcome with the need to please her, to do her bidding as she wished without question. The stench of her was fading already, but he could still feel the heady effect of it clouding his thoughts. If this was how influential her blood could be, even without tasting a drop of it, he could see why Ayato's mind was fractured. He drained the rest of his glass, wincing as the bitterness hit the back of his throat. The strong liquid burned his any lingering flavour of her out of his system and left him clean_.

-0-

The two brothers sat together in silence; Shu with his eyes closed, as if asleep, and Reiji staring out of the window at the street lights as they passed them swiftly in the limousine. Brothers in blood, but not in bond or trust, the pair had always been at odds. The younger pushed his glasses up his nose and sighed deeply.

"So, are you going to explain what is going on?"

Shu opened an eye. "I wasn't planning to."

Reiji pursed his lips, irritated by his older brother's disinterest. "Tell me immediately."

"I thought you would have worked it out by now. Are you getting stupider?"

"Now," Reiji growled, narrowing his eyes.

Shu sighed, sitting up straight. He leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees. "I never wanted to be head of this family, Reiji."

"You think I don't know that? It doesn't matter, regardless - it's your duty."

"A duty which was forced upon me," he snapped. "And if you want it, you're welcome to it."

Reiji paused, tilting his head to the side as he observed his brother. "What?"

"If you agree to my conditions, you can be the head of the family."

"And what are the conditions?" Reiji asked, surprised. He never expected Shu to take up the mantle as the Heir, but he didn't foresee this development.

"I want the Manor in Bodo and the smaller apartment in New York," Shu answered, looking down at his hands. "I want money enough to keep myself and Yui settled. And lastly - I want the rest of the family to stay the hell away from us."

Reiji raised a brow. "You want to make a life with that girl?"

"I'm planning on marrying her at some point in the future, so it's all above board," he said, lacing his fingers together. "I just need to tell Karlheinz my intentions and we'll leave."

"And what makes you think I would agree to this?"

Shu snorted. "Come off it, Reiji. You've wanted to be the Heir to this family ever since you were born."

Reiji sighed, but his lips quirked slightly into a smile. "I can't say that I expected this, Shu."

"Don't think of it as a gesture of kindness toward you," he said, sharply. "Will you accept the offer?"

"Yes," Reiji replied. "As long as Karlheinz agrees, I will sort the finances and see that our brothers stay away to the best of my ability."

"Thank yo-"

"But know," he interrupted, leaning forward. "That you will no longer be a part of this family when I am the Head. No more privilege or status, not within the demon world. You cannot even use the name of Sakamaki after this."

Shu rolled his eyes, dismissing his brother's derisive tone. "As if I care."

Reiji sat back in his seat, folding his arms over his lap. "Good."

-0-

 _Christa watched her son as he ran through the garden, a faint smile playing around her lips. Subaru was still small but so full of energy that she was glad that he had his brothers to play with. He deserved happiness and company - it was terrible to be alone. She reached forward and gripped the stem of her wine glass, turning it round and round between her fingers. The cool air of the evening ran through her thick hair and cooled her alabaster skin. These moments of clarity were growing rarer, so she tried to enjoy the time she had before her mind descended once again into chaos._

 _"Subaru is such a sweet boy."_

 _The woman looked up from her glass to see Cordelia sitting in the chair on the opposite side of the table. She was leaning on her hands, elbows digging into the wrought iron surface, with a callous smile stretching her lips. Christa's face scrunched up in disgust - she could not stand the other woman. She seemed to exist only to inflict suffering on the people around her._

 _"Cordelia," she greeted, icily. "What do you want?"_

 _The other woman rolled her eyes and tutted. "You can't even pretend to be friendly, can you?"_

 _"I don't see the need," Christa replied, looking back out over the gardens. "I've made my feelings quite clear."_

 _"Beatrix still forces a smile, it's sickening."_

 _"She is afraid of you," she answered, softly._

 _"And you're not?"_

 _Christa shook her head and glanced back at Cordelia. "I've worse things to be afraid of than a pathetic trollop like you."_

 _Cordelia's eyes seemed to light up, though her cruel smile did not budge. She spoke sarcastically and laced her hands together in her lap. "Of course you do. It must be so hard to be mad."_

 _The albino winced and looked back at Subaru, trying to concentrate on his happy smile. A strange darkness began to creep into the corner of her vision and spots danced in front of her. She could not let her mind drift, not now-_

 _"Not having control of your own mind is a dreadful thing. It disables you from so many things, doesn't it?" Cordelia trailed off and her foul grin widened. "You're not fit to be a wife, let alone a mother."_

 _Christa rose gracefully, gaze completely fixed. She raised her hand and struck Cordelia swiftly across the cheek. The other woman hissed and jerked up onto her feet. Christa clenched her fists at her sides, fury burning in her chest._

 _"You hateful bi-"_

 _"Mother?"_

 _The woman paused and turned away from Cordelia to see her son standing close behind. The anger inside her began to fade as she looked into his wide crimson eyes. The little boy was growing fast but he still had an air of innocence about him and it shone through his gaze. He slipped his small hand into hers and gave her a reassuring smile._

 _"C'mon," he whispered, motioning to the mansion with a nod of his head. "I wanna go inside. Will you read to me?"_

 _Christa smiled back at him. "Of course."_

 _The other woman had disappeared by the time she looked back to the other side of the table, though traces of her still remained. She hated the vile, sweet aroma of Cordelia's blood, it was sickening._

-0-

Subaru raised his hand and shut the shower off, closing his eyes to enjoy the warmth of the steam that clouded around him. The heat eased the pain in his shoulder and he'd been able to wash off the majority of the blood from his wounds. He stepped out of the shower and reached for a towel, which he wrapped tightly around his waist.

It had been a long day and he could feel exhaustion weighing on his shoulders. He leaned against the sink and used his forearm to wipe the stream from the mirror in front of him. His tired, beaten-up reflection stared back at him.

Truly, he had no idea how this would all pan out. It was idealistic and mildly stupid of Shu to think that he could just take off into the sunset with his bride - he doubted she would be happy with being turned into a vampire without her permission, nor could he imagine Ayato giving up on his pursuit. Still, there was little more he could do to help at this stage.

After changing into a fresh set of clothes, Subaru re-entered the living room and was met with the sound of his Mother humming gently drifting in from the kitchen. He paused and a small smile formed on his face. She insisted upon making him his favourite dinner whenever he visited, it was rather sweet. Yui was still slumped across the sofa cushion where he had left her, deathly silent and still. He sat down next to her and now regarded her through curious eyes. Such a tiny, unassuming creature to hold such powerful blood - why hadn't it burst from her body under the pressure of its own intensity? How did she have the influence to turn Ayato mad? To make Shu so attached? Why did her blood burn them all so terribly?

He rested his chin against his hand and leaned slightly further toward her. She had certainly caught his interest in terms of her blood but it was only now, as she was sleeping with her mouth wide open on his mother's sofa, that he really looked at her. Her blonde curls were wispy, light, almost angelic in the way they framed her face. He couldn't imagine any other sort of hair donning her head. Her skin was smooth, though sickly pale from the lack of sunlight. Everything about her was delicate, but he knew she was far from breakable. After all she'd been through, she hadn't crumbled, her mind was still intact. Strange thing.

And I suppose she is fairly attractive, in an innocent sort of way, he thought.

Subaru sighed and got to his feet, unsure of what to do with her. He could hardly just leave her here in the living room, more to keep an eye on her than for her own comfort. He approached her chair and gently moved his arms underneath her knees and behind her back, lifting her easily. It was almost alarming how little she weighed, he felt as if he were cradling a baby bird. As he walked into the spare bedroom at the end of the hall and turned to shut the door behind him with his shoulder, Yui mumbled something undecipherable.

"Yui?" he whispered, pausing his motions and looking down at the body in his arms. The girl did not move or speak again. Subaru raised an eyebrow, slightly startled - he must have imagined it. He moved to the bed and lowered her onto one side, sitting down with the motion to avoid dropping her. The vampire observed her quietly, lacing his fingers together in his lap. A stray thought entered his mind. He stood up quickly and marched from the room, shutting the door to the bedroom behind him. For a moment, he paused in the dark hall and began to run his hands through his wet hair, a deep frown on his face. No, no more. He forced himself to think no further of Yui, but to focus on how tired he felt, how much his limbs ached, how sweet she smelt and how soft she felt when he wrapped his arms around her body.

-0-

Shu looked up at the door to his Father's manor, a grim frown set on his face.

"He's never going to agree to this, you know?" Reiji murmured, moving to stand beside his brother.

"He'll do as I ask," Shu grunted. Despite his outer calmness, he was tense. Deep down, he knew Reiji was right - Karleheinz had never given a damn about his children, why would he start adhering to their wishes now?

"And why would he do that?"

Shu sighed and shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his trousers. "Because if he doesn't, I'm going to tear his head off."

Reiji opened his mouth to speak, but found himself startled by his brother's sudden aggression. His lips quirked into a smile.

"You don't have the gall."

"We'll see," Shu replied, gaze still focused straight ahead.

The door swung open.


	12. Author's Note

Authors Note:

Hi there, beautiful people.

My sincerest apologies for the lack of updates recently. It's been pretty hectic at my end but this should be winding down soon and I'll have more time to write! I'm dedicating this weekend to write a number of new chapters for a few different fics - and this is one of them!

Fics I will be updating within the next two/three weeks:

Evensong (Chapter 2)

Hellfire (Chapter 12 + 13)

Riddles (Chapter 9 - Final Chapter + Epilogue)

The Lodger (Chapter 3 - Final Chapter)

My Friend, Tom (Chapter 7)

Again, I'm so sorry to keep you all waiting - I hope you enjoy the updates when they are released!

Best,

MG


	13. Chapter 12

Okay lovelies, a bit of a re-jig here. As 'Evensong' was originally written to be a chapter of ' Hellfire', I've scrapped it as a separate story and incorporated it back into this one. Hope you enjoy this update.

-0-

" _Just take it!"_

" _But it's yours, you should have i-"_

" _I grew it for you, Shu. Please, just take it."_

 _Shu hesitantly reached out and took the apple from his friend's outstretched hand. The other boy grinned widely at him and he couldn't help but smile back._

" _Thank you, Edgar. But you really didn't have to do that for me."_

" _You're an idiot, y'know that?" Edgar laughed, clapping him roughly on the back._

" _Shut your face," Shu replied, jogging him with his elbow._

 _Edgar chuckled and leaned back against his hands, looking out over the calm valley where he lived. Shu followed his gaze and saw that the clouds had cleared and the stars now twinkled over the hills._

" _It's sure pretty out," the larger boy sighed, laying back on the grass. He laced his fingers together behind his head and slowly shut his eyes._

 _Shu peered up at the night sky, still rolling the smooth apple between his hands. The skies seemed brighter outside of the Demon Realm. He supposed it was the stars. He had never seen them before venturing out of his land, their sky was nothing but a permanent blackness._

" _I like the stars," he commented. "How far away do you think they are?"_

 _Edgar opened his eyes and chuckled. "I dunno, you tell me smarty-pants."_

 _Shu smacked the boy's leg with the back of his hand. "Quiet, peasant."_

 _They laughed in unison, both looking up at the sky. They remained unaware of the man who watched them quietly from the shadows of the forest._

" _Y'know one day we'll get into that sky?" Edgar said, sitting up. "One day-"_

" _Edgar?" Shu asked, when his friend suddenly stood bolt upright. The other boy's face twisted in a grimace and his eyes grew wide with fright. "What-?"_

" _Look!" he screamed, pointing down into the lowest point of the valley._

 _Shu turned his head and saw a dull, orange glow burning in the distance. It was located in the same place as Edgar's home, a small walled village in the North valley forest. There was a sound too, only faint, but quite distinct - it was screaming. Edgar had already taken to his heels and was heading down the path which let to his settlement. The vampire followed him, shouting his name at the top of his voice. They descended the South hill quickly, dodging trees and slipping down muddy slopes until they finally hit the bottom and began to follow the river up North._

" _Don't! Please - Edgar! You'll get hurt!"_

" _I can't just watch it burn!" came the strained reply from ahead._

 _He couldn't quite believe how fast Edgar was able to run - he must have been energised by fear. The taller boy grunted loudly as he jumped into the shallows of the river and the ice-cold water burned his skin. Shu followed blindly, unable to let his friend go alone. The river was wide, but luckily the current was low and the bed was flat and the boys soon crossed with little pain._

 _The orange glow was now as bright as a beacon, flames rose taller than the trees. The cries of the humans were constant, ear-grating and joined by the loud cracking of falling buildings. There was a rich smell, a mixture of burning wood and scorched flesh. Shu's eyes grew wide as they approached the gate to the village. Already, piles of bodies, charred and unmoving were growing behind the walls, their limbs sticking out of the wooden panelling. Scratches decorated these panels, as if the inhabitants had been trying to claw their way out. A number of corpses were lying on the outside of the walls, having jumped from the top of the gateway to escape the flames._

 _The boys stopped outside of the gate, panting for breath._

" _Why aren't the gates open?" Edgar cried. "They're always open!"_

 _Shu looked at the large metal doors and noted the large, twisted piece of metal that was shoved through the handles. He frowned, confused - there was no way that any human could have done that. It would have taken a vampire's strength._

 _Edgar ran forward and shoved his shoulder roughly against the gate in a futile effort to force it open. He screamed loudly when his body hit the burning-hot metal and he fell back, clutching his shoulder with his hand. Shu dropped to the ground next to him, cringing at the overwhelming smell of burning flesh that hit his nostrils. He rolled the boy onto his side. His shoulder was mottled, shining with fat blisters and large sections around his bicep had blackened completely. Shu pulled his hand away from the burn and grimaced as several layers of charred skin tore off with it._

" _Help them, please, Shu, please-"_

" _I need to help you!" he replied, tucking his arms under Edgar's good shoulder. He hauled his friend to his feet. Behind them, the screams were growing quieter._

" _No!" Edgar screeched, pushing Shu away from him. "I need to - I need to help them. Don't follow me Shu, please."_

" _What? No!"_

" _Go and get help - just don't follow me. I'll be okay," he said. His tone was optimistic, but Shu could see the unease in his eyes. His friend held out a hand, which he took in his own. "I don't want you to get hurt."_

 _The boy took in a deep breath, let go of Shu's hand and ran to the walls. He grit his teeth as pain shot through his shoulder and began to climb, using the brickwork and lifeless hands as support. Shu watched, terrified, until he saw Edgar reach the top. The other boy gave him a final wave, then dropped down to the other side._

 _Shu stared at the flames for a moment longer, in awe of their ferocity, then turned and began to run back toward the South hill and the entrance to the Demon World. His brothers could help, he thought. They would help._

 _As he grew further away from the village, the man who watched appeared from behind the trees. He looked up at the village gates, which had fallen and now hung crookedly in their frames. The walls had all but crumbled and the fire was beginning to die, as it had devoured all sources of food it could find. All but one. A small figure stumbled through the smoke, coughing loudly._

" _Shu?" the boy called, weakly. "Anyone?"_

 _The man approached him slowly. His face was bloody and bruised and the saliva that dripped from his mouth was thick and black with soot._

" _Hello?" he cried, waving slowly. "Who is that?"_

 _Edgar stumbled toward the man, soon tripping on the rubble and falling at his feet. He looked up wearily, still clutching his ruined shoulder with his hand. He reached up with the other, eyes pleading for help._

" _Do you want to live?" the man asked, cocking his head to the side. Edgar couldn't see his features through the thick smoke but his voice was smooth, soothing, he trusted it almost instantly._

" _Y-yes," he replied, voice cracking as he tried not to cry. "Please help me."_

 _The man crouched, his cloak billowing out behind him. "Will you help me, child?"_

" _What-?"_

" _Not now. In the future, when I need you. Will you help me?" the man asked, slowly. He reached forward and touched Edgar's cheek with his gloved hand. The material was soft, satin, clean._

" _Yes," the boy answered, wheezing as he took in a breath. The smoke was clouding his mind, he felt ashes rattling through his lungs. "Please-"_

 _The man placed his hands under the boy's knees and behind his shoulder and lifted him from the ground. His motions seemed effortless and the smoke didn't seem to affect him - Edgar almost didn't believe he was real. Perhaps he was already dead, perhaps the man was an angel. No, he thought, he didn't believe in any Gods, so how could angels exist?_

 _They arrived at a clearing in the forest where the smoke was thin, though Edgar could still barely see due to the damage to his eyes. The man knelt and laid the boy down._

" _Remember your promise, Edgar," he whispered, tugging on his collar, forcing him to sit upright._

 _Edgar frowned, squinting through his ruined eyes, trying to focus on the man. "How do you know my name?"_

 _The man didn't speak again. The next thing Edgar was aware of was a sharp, tearing sensation in his neck. After that, there was nothing but darkness._

 _He would wake, months later, in a strange bedroom, surrounded by three curious looking children and a tall, white haired man in a doctor's coat. His throat burned with thirst and his body ached, but he was alive. The children asked him who he was and he was unable to answer. The man in the doctor's coat smiled at him and told him that his name was Yuma._

 _-0-_

It had been a long time since Shu had been in this house. He and his brother were currently stood in the entrance hall, silently waiting for their Father to appear. The room was grand, very grand - all black ebony furniture, drinks cabinets and elaborate rugs. A shiny grand piano stood in one corner, next to a desk and a set of leather armchairs. Five floor-to-ceiling windows covered the wall in front of them, allowing the brothers to see the night-time sky outside. Shu noted the lack of personality, no photos, no mirrors, no heirlooms or portraits.

"Good evening, boys."

Shu looked up wearily, watching the darkened figure enter the room from behind the piano. He hadn't aged a day- white, black wavy hair that was perfectly combed, aristocratic features that were impeccably chiseled and eyes of glinting gold. He wore an elaborate black suit and a deep purple shirt, but what really caught her eye were the shoes on his feet, pointed and so shiny they appeared to have never been worn. The man walked into the light, fixing his sons with a sharp gaze. Well, _man_ was a bit of an overstatement - he certainly had the air of a mature man, but his face was that of a man in his mid-thirties.

"What a surprise," Karlheinz began, moving round the piano.

He walked across the room - Shu noticed his neat, elegant steps, like a solider - to a cabinet next to the fireplace in front of the armchair and removed a crystal decanter from inside. He unstacked three glasses and filled them with a dark, amber liquid. Moving back towards them, he offered them a glass each. Reiji glanced over at Shu, who had taken the glass offered to him, and followed suit.

"So," Karlheinz began, raising his glass to his lips. He drank the whiskey down in one gulp, hissing slightly. "What brings you to the Demon realm?"

"As if you don't know already," Shu replied, fingers clenching around his glass.

A look of dissatisfaction spread across his handsome face. "Do not use that tone with me, Shu. You would do well to address me properly."

"I'll address you as I please," he replied, calmly. At the reddening of his Father's cheeks, for the first time in years, a smirk settled upon Shu's lips. Reiji was staring at his brother incredulously, as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Such an insolent boy," he replied, chiseled jaw twitching slightly in anger. "Did that little trip to the Arctic teach you nothing?"

Shu frowned and took a step toward Karlheinz.

"That 'trip' was just a pathetic attempt to display your supposed superiori -" he was interrupted by the feeling of an invisible force shoving him backwards into the wall, hard. The small glass slipped from his grasp and shattered at his feet, sending whiskey spilling across the floorboards. The vampire let out a hoarse grunt when he slid down the wall, legs splaying out in front of him. Reiji turned to look at him, but did not move to help.

"I am your superior," Karlheinz replied, eyes burning angrily. Shu opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't place the right words. Slowly, he got to his feet by holding onto the wall behind him and stood upright, facing his Father.

"Are you going to let me leave with Yui or not?" Shu asked, panting slightly as the sudden movement had winded him. "I can't be bothered to play these games with you, so let's just get this done quickly."

Karlheinz tilted his head to one side and surveyed his son with his sharp golden eyes. "Yui?"

"The sacrificial bride you sent t-" Shu stated.

"I know who she is," he interrupted. The vampire gave a chuckle and began to approach his eldest son slowly. "I just find it amusing that you use her name. Do you always play with your food, give it a name?"

The blonde man scowled and clenched his fist at his side. "She's not food."

Karlheinz laughed lightly and halted a few feet away from him. "My, you have gotten quite attached to her, haven't you? I didn't expect it to be you, Shu. I thought one of the triplets would-"

"What?"

The patriarch raised an eyebrow, but a playful smirk rose on his lips. "Well, she has their Mother's heart embedded in her chest."

Shu's eyes widened and Reiji turned to face Karlheinz with a look of shock on his face.

"She has Cordelia's heart? How is that possible?" Reiji asked.

Karlheinz tutted and rolled his eyes. "The details of the matter aren't important."

"That must be why Ayato was so convinced it was his Mother's blood he was drinking. It was being pumped through the same heart," Shu sighed, shaking his head. This must have been his Father's doing, there's no way it could have been chance that a girl with the heart of a demon ended up in their home. "It doesn't matter now. I've already changed her."

"Interesting," Karlheinz replied. He tapped his fingers against his lips, then turned away from his sons and walked towards the windows at the end of the room. "This is quite abnormal. She has the heart of a demon - a resilient one that that - not that of a regular human. Perhaps..."

Reiji frowned and looked across at Shu. "Perhaps what?"

The older vampire chuckled. "Perhaps she will not change at all."

"I fed her my blood," Shu commented, scowling deeply. "How could she possibly remain human?"

Karlheinz waved his hand back at his son, still seemingly deep in thought. "All very interesting. As for your request, I'm afraid I will have to decline. There is still the chance that she could become Eve and I have other theories I wish to-"

"Eve?" Shu spat, angrily. "What on Earth are you talking about?"

"Stop interrupting me," Karlheinz said, coolly. He didn't even bother to turn around to face his sons. "There are other theories I wish to test pursue. Therefore - no. You may not take the girl yet. Her body will choose someone, as is natural. Eve must choose an Adam."

Shu growled. He had turned her - against her will - for no good reason, it seemed. His Father was speaking nonsense. Even with Cordelia's heart, he had drained her, given her blood - how could she not become a vampire? Anger built up in his chest until his hands began to shake violently. He felt his fangs extend in his mouth and poke into his bottom lip. A strange thirst clawed at his throat.

"You are the devil's gateway: you are the unsealer of that forbidden tree...Eve, expelled from paradise. Eve, already dead," Karlheinz mused, under his breath. He paced back and forth in front of the fire, ideas forming behind his keen eyes. The vampire paused and looked back at his sons. "Excuse me for a moment, there is something I must attend to. Do help yourself to more brandy."

"Shu?" Reiji hissed, quietly. He stared at his older brother with concern - what was happening? The blonde's veins were protruding from his neck and his fangs were increasing to an abnormal length. A milky sheen started to wash over his usually azure irises. "Shu - stop it."

The eldest Sakamaki drew in a sharp breath at Reiji's hissed warning and steadied his anger. Lashing out would do him no good, not against the vampire Lord. Shu narrowed his eyes at his Father has he strode out of the room then looked back to Reiji who was fixing him with a hard glare.

"I told you this would never work."

"Shut up," Shu grunted, collapsing into an armchair. He stretched his long legs out in front of him and closed his eyes momentarily. He was exhausted. "I will make this work."

 _-0-_

Yuma Mukami sighed, leaning his head back against the sofa. It had been a long day and frankly, he was ready to go to bed by now. But he couldn't sleep, not with the harsh shrieks that rang through the halls of the mansion.

"Is he still going at it?"

He looked up to see his brother Ruki strolling into the living room. The grey-haired man wore a fierce scowl on his face. He was dressed in casual attire and carried a worn looking novel under his arm.

"Sounds like it," Yuma replied, leaning forward. He rested his elbows on his knees and gently cupped his face in his large palms. "Seems a bit much, don't y'think?"

Ruki shrugged and sat down in the armchair across from his brother. "You know how excitable Kou can get."

"I dunno if that's the right word for what he's doing," Yuma frowned, raising his head to look at the other man. "D'ya remember what the boss said? We have to make her want ta' choose one of us. Not scare her to death."

"We don't even know if she's the right Eve," Ruki answered, opening his book. "We will only find out when her body awakens. We have to consume enough of her to do that."

He sighed again, sitting back. "Spose. I dunno, call me old fashioned but I don't like hearing her yell like that."

Ruki nodded and turned the page, still staring intently at the book. "I agree, it is rather ear-grating."

"That's not what I meant, asshole," Yuma growled, wrinkling his nose.

His brother rolled his eyes, then looked back at the novel. "It was a joke."

"Har-har," he replied, sarcastically. "Stick to makin' soup, Ruki. You're a shit comic."

Ruki pursed his lips and leaned back in his seat, snapping the book in his hands shut. Slowly, he raised his fingers to his face and pinched the bridge of his nose as he screwed his eyes shut.

"Look, I don't like this anymore than you do," he said, sharply. "We-"

"Oh really? Cos it sounded like you was gettin' some kicks outta pushin' her round the other day in the library."

The man released his nose and shot a glare at his brother, who snorted in return. "I was not pushing her around, Yuma. Regardless, what is she but livestock to us? What are any of them? We are keeping her safe, we're feeding her, giving her a warm place to live. Are we not doing enough already?"

Yuma raised an eyebrow. "So we should just let Kou fling 'er round like a rag doll whenever he wants?"

"Do you have feelings for this girl, Yuma?"

The larger vampire shook his head and chuckled lightly. "Nah. She ain't nothin' but food. But I wouldn't stick around a slaughterhouse to watch my steaks get tortured - why's this any different? And I just don't like hearin' girls scream. Not like this, anyway." Yuma winked suggestively, though his smile quickly faded as another shrill cry echoed down the corridor. He let out an annoyed breath and leaned his head back against the chair.

"Ugh," Ruki said, looking back down at his book. "You're so uncouth."

"Fuck this," he spat, standing swiftly. "I ain't gonna put up with this shit anymore."

"Don't interfere - he's just feeding from her. You might spoil something. Go play in your garden if you cannot put up with the noise."

Yuma felt his cheeks flush as he grew angry. "You are such a dick."

Ruki turned a page of his book nonchalantly, only irritating his brother further. It was useless speaking to him, he was so focused on his goals that he wouldn't listen to his brothers. The other man stomped out of the room, slamming the door roughly behind him. With six long strides he reached Kou's bedroom. He raised his fist and pounded it on the door, shaking the wood in the frame.

"Open the fucking door, pretty boy," he shouted.

The door swung open from the inside, revealing a very flushed Kou. The smaller boy swept his blonde fringe behind his ear and leaned against the frame with one hand, blocking Yuma's entrance.

"What do you want? You're disturbing our fun," he snapped, wrinkling his nose.

Yuma's gaze settled behind Kou. Their latest guest was propped up against the end of his brother's bed, her legs sprawled out on the ground in front of her. He had forgotten her name. Her eyes were wide with terror and she trembled, bringing her knees into her chest in a protective motion. He was slightly relieved to see that she appeared unharmed, though shaken.

"Fuck off Kou," Yuma snapped, pushing the blonde easily to the side. He swiftly walked forward and stood in the center of the room, gaze fixed on the brunette. "Time to go."

"What are you doing?" Kou asked, in a shrill voice. "I was-"

"It's late. I want to sleep and her noise is bothering me," Yuma replied. The girl on the floor shook softly and he felt his stomach turn. He jerked his head back to look at his brother. "How can you be bothered with this? Don't you remember what those people did to you?"

Kou didn't answer, his mouth just opened and shut silently. The brothers rarely brought up their past human lives, they were much too dreadful to linger on for more than a fleeting. Yuma walked past him without further word, though he didn't bother to look at the girl either.

"I didn't do-," Kou said, softly. "I wouldn't-"

"Cch," Yuma hissed. He stooped over and gathered the girl up in his arms, then tossed her carelessly over his shoulder. "I'm tired. I can't sleep with her screeching like a banshee."

"That's hardly my fault," Kou retorted, rolling his eyes. His expression brightened and he clicked his fingers. "I know! I could gag her!"

Yuma scowled and shoved past the smaller man, slamming the door behind him. The girl was quietly sobbing into his shoulder blade, he could feel tears soaking through his shirt. He looked down at the ground, uncertain of what to do. Part of him wished to reassure the girl that things would get better but he didn't want to lie to her. He felt he owed her the truth at least.

"T-thank you," her small voice coughed from over his shoulder.

The man ceased walking and swung the girl's body forward, planting her firmly on the ground in front of him. He peered down at her curiously, cocking his head to one side.

"Why are ya' thanking me?" he asked, resting one hand on the back of his neck. "I didn't do anythin'."

She shook her head and wiped her sleeve across her damp cheeks. "You helped me."

The vampire tutted loudly and looked away from her. "Nah, wasn't anythin' to do with helping you. I just wanted some peace from your horrible screaming. It was annoying."

The girl's eyes widened momentarily, then she looked down at the ground sadly. Yuma couldn't help but hear Ruki in his harsh words.

"I see. I'm sorry for annoying you."

"Never mind. Just go to bed, okay?" he replied, irritably. He turned away from her and walked back to his room, ignoring her sniffling.

In his heart, he hated this plan, he hated intentionally hurting all the potential Eve's that had been sent to their home. But he had to repay his debt, no matter how long it took, or how many Eve's would die. He'd made that deal a long time ago.

-0-

The sun had set and despite a night of fitful rest, he still felt exhausted. His ignored the lingering presence of his inappropriate dreams, of her taste and scent beneath him and his hands wrapped in her hair. Subaru leaned forward, resting his head between his forearms on the kitchen counter. Never in his life had he needed a drink more, damn his Mother for being so relentlessly sober. He raised his head and winced when his muscles protested against his movements.

"Fuck," he swore, slowly rolling his shoulder beneath his fingers. The wounds left by another vampire always took longer to heal than any inflicted by a mortal and those left by his brothers were deep. His fingers brushed the tear on the back of his neck caused by Shu's teeth and grunted when he felt wetness. With a deep sigh, he dropped his hands back to the countertop and shifted on the stool he was perched on. His thoughts drifted to his older brother. Shu's plan was insane, there was no way their Father would yield to his wants, he was too selfish a creature. And Shu was far too apathetic to take action against him, even for Yui's sake.

Subaru pressed his face into his hands, enjoying the cool feeling against his skin. If it were him, he wouldn't hesitate to destroy Karlheinz, he would protect her. He opened his eyes and peered through the cracks in his fingers. Why did he have such thoughts? Who was this girl to him - nothing, surely? He was only keeping watch over her because Shu had told him to.

"Damn it," he hissed, under his breath. He swung his legs around and pushed himself away from the stool, swaying unsteadily on his feet. Slowly, the vampire made his way toward the door to the elevator, clutching his shoulder in one hand. There had to be a bar in the nearest settlement to the Tower.

"Are you going out, Subaru?"

He glanced over his shoulder and saw his Mother standing behind him. The man nodded and turned back toward the exit.

"Yes. I won't be gone for long. Please watch over Yui for me."

"Be back before sunrise," she called, as he closed the door behind him. A dark expression fell on the woman's face, the hatred spoiling her loveliness. She turned and looked down the hallway that led to the room in which Yui lay. The sound of a throbbing heart filled her ears, as did the scent of life. She narrowed her eyes and began to approach the bedroom cautiously. The girl was dead, a vampire, wasn't she? And - that other smell, a familiar smell, what was that? A faded memory grew clearer in her mind as she grew closer. It was _her_ smell.

"Surely not," Christa whispered, pausing outside of the bedroom door. Her hand lingered on the doorknob, uncertain of whether to go any further. The vile stench was overpowering, there was no mistaking it. But she had seen the girl, she was not Cordelia! The woman she despised was long since dead. And she had been a vampire - her heart had never beaten once in her chest! Yet here it was, that unmistakable thrumming of human life, mixed with the scent of a demon.

Christa pushed open the door and let it swing open until it hit the wall on the other side. She stared incredulously at the sleeping girl on the bed.

"What are you?" she hissed, not daring to step over the threshold.

-0-

"For fuck's sake Kou, really?!"

"It's not my fault, Yuma. I thought she was awakening."

"Clearly fuckin' not!"

Ruki sighed and rolled his head back against the sofa. "You should know when to stop, Kou. He won't be pleased about this."

Kou laughed incredulously and poked the girl's lifeless body with the pointed toe of his shoe. "Clearly she wasn't Eve."

"Or maybe you're not Adam," Yuma snapped, crossing his large arms over one another. He glanced over at Ruki. "Should I-?"

"Yes," he replied, waving his hand carelessly. "Just don't make the garden look ugly."

"As if I would," Yuma snorted, kneeling down to pick up the girl. He sighed inwardly - her lips were blue already. He probably shouldn't have left her on her own last night, he thought. Guilt began to creep into his mind, but he quickly shook it away. It would do no good to care about these girls. They were disposable - weren't they?

"Can't I at least finish draining her?" Kou began to whine. He quickly shut up when Ruki sent him a stern glare.

"You can call him, seeing as this is your fault," Ruki said, standing up. Kou grimaced but nodded and headed out of the living room into the hall. "He is such a handful."

"He always was, the prissy little idiot," Yuma chided. The large man began to exit the room, carrying the body carefully in his arms.

"Don't bury her in the front lawns," Ruki called out, tonelessly. He watched Yuma leave, then sat back down and pressed his hands onto his face. Their third Eve was dead due to the carelessness of his brothers and the weakness of the livestock. This was not going well.

His mobile phone buzzed loudly in his pocket. He pulled it out quickly and winced when he saw their Master's number appear on the screen.

"Hello?" he answered, slowly.

"Another one?"

Ruki sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yes. I'm sorry, I didn't keep an eye on Kou. You know what he's like near the full moon."

"It's not important."

"It's not?" he replied, confused. The last time an Eve had died on his watch he had been sorely punished.

"No," the man said. "I see I'm just going to have to send you someone stronger."

"Stronger?"

"There is a special case I sent to my sons. A human vessel with the heart of a Demon. I believe she will be of use to you."

"Surely that won't-"

"Call it an experiment. I have reason to believe that she survived being turned into a vampire by one of my sons. She is human, but she is as resilient as one of us."

Ruki paused and ran a hand through his hair. "I see. When should we expect her?"

The man chuckled. "Actually, you will be going to collect her. I will forward you the location. You may have to deal with one of my sons, but I'm sure you will find this no bother if you retrieve her during the daylight hours."

Ruki smirked. "Of course."

"Good. Now, I must go."

He snapped the phone shut and got to his feet. This was an interesting development.

-0-

Yui Komori was dreaming. Through the fog, there was a church, a house, a puddle of crimson pooling around her feet. There was a man with eyes as blue as the ocean. There was pain, sharp and real, searing across her body and under her skin. Her heart pumped ice through her veins, an intense pain she would have killed to extinguish. The feeling immobilized her and grew until she prayed to God that she would die. But she lingered there, on the brink of death, the taste of someone else's blood on her lips, until her heart jerked once - twice -

Three times. Then again. And it did not stop. The taste of the blood in her mouth began to fade.

She felt cool feminine hands touch her face, then her neck, warming her skin. Fingertips caressed the puncture wounds on her throat, alleviating her pain. Warmth spread over her body slowly and she began to feel something else - the weight of her body, the hard surface beneath her back, the slight breeze from the open window. Yui Komori began to feel alive. She longed to see who it was, but found herself still unable to open her eyes. Instead, there was a soft, dark voice at her ear and the gentle brush of feather-light hair against her cheek.

" _My heart will not be stopped, even by a vampire's blood. Go back now, little girl. It is not time for your awakening yet."_

The soft hands pressed roughly into her chest and a sudden stab of pain shocked her. The small girl let out a harsh screech and her eyes flew open. Cool evening air filled her lungs and caused goosebumps to erupt across her skin. Her eyes darted from side to side as she panicked, her body still too exhausted and pained to move. The shock forced her into unconsciousness and her eyes fluttered shut again. But her chest started to rise and fall and her parted lips grew rosy as blood began to pump through her veins. The demon's heart that was not hers beat steadily in her human ribcage, alive.


	14. Chapter 13

Thank you for the reviews, they mean the world. Please be aware that I'm switching up the stories of the Sakamaki/Thank you for the reviews, they mean the world. Please be aware that I'm switching up the stories of the Sakamaki/Mukami youth. It's only a little different, however, so I'm not taking too many liberties!

-0-

 _He didn't have a name before he met Ruki. Not a proper name at least - he didn't count 'gutter-rat' and 'filth' as appropriate labels, as true as they were. He met his 'brothers' five days after the man he would later call his Master had picked him up from the streets. He had been assaulted, beaten and lay in a puddle at the side of the pavement, his right eye squished into a bloody pulp a few feet away. The nameless boy could remember very little, aside from the feeling of sharp daggers at his throat and the ice cold pain that seared through his veins. It hurt, far more than any mortal beating he had received, for days. Then one morning - the pain ended. He awoke in a room he had never seen before, a room which smelt of delicious foods and was beautifully decorated. Panic set in - where was he? How had he survived the last beating he received, he had been certain that he would die. He remembered the sharp feeling at his throat and moved a hand over his neck. It was smooth, no trace of any cut. Confused, he swept his hands through his hair, fingers brushing over the empty eye socket. His stomach leapt - where was his eye?_

 _A soft noise from across the room drew his attention and he turned his head to see the strange older man entering through a wooden door, followed by two younger boys. Instantly, the nameless boy scrambled off the bed and dove underneath, crawling back until he was crouched in the corner, against the wall. The three sets of feet moved closer until they stood close at the bedside._

" _Please don't be scared," the man had a soothing voice, but it did not calm the frantic beating of his heart. He shrunk back against the wall, lowering his head into his chest to fit beneath the bed. "We will not hurt you."_

" _Who is 'e?" a rough voice piped up._

" _Quiet Yuma, he's obviously frightened. Look, come out from under there," came a third voice, this one smooth and deep._

 _The nameless boy looked up from between his knees to see a boy around his age crouching down at the end of the bed. The boy was pale, with dark grey hair and steely eyes. His face was settled in a serious expression, one far too mature for a boy his age. The clothes he wore were lovely, they looked like the garments the rich people from the gentleman's club wore._

" _Do not be afraid of them," the soothing voice of the older gentleman said. He watched as a pair of feet moved away from the bed and across the room. "I will leave him in your care, Ruki. Please be gentle with him, Yuma, he has been through a lot."_

 _The nameless boy stiffened when he heard the kind man headed out of the room, leaving him alone with his 'brothers'. He started to move to the end of the bed, scrabbling around on his hands and knees. "Wait-!"_

" _Stop," the grey-eyed boy ordered, swiftly moving to block the boy from running. He began to panic and scuttled back into the corner when he felt a hand grab his collar and drag him roughly out from under the bed. He thrashed against the hand, but could not shake it off and shrieked when he was picked up and pushed back on top of the bed._

" _Get off 'a me!" he yelled, scooting back across the covers until his back hit the cool wall behind him. The grey-eyed boy stood at the end of the bed, arms crossed over his chest. Another boy, with messy brown hair and freckled tan skin, stood close by the bedside, grinning widely at him. He was huge compared to the nameless boy, in both height and muscle and though the smile on his face appeared genuine, the boy knew better than to trust him so readily._

" _Calm down," the grey-eyed boy said. "We're not going to hurt you."_

" _Who are you?" the nameless boy watched with wide eyes as the grey-eyed boy sat down on the end of the bed._

" _My name is Ruki," he replied, fixing his gaze. "And this is Yuma."_

" _Where am I?" he asked, glancing from side to side at them._

" _Our house," Yuma replied, folding his arms across his broad chest. "Pretty, ain't it?"_

 _The nameless boy felt his mouth twitch, almost breaking into a smile, but he restrained himself. Even a friendly appearance was not to be trusted, he had learned that ten times over whilst living on the streets. He swallowed thickly, only now noticing how thirsty he was._

" _Why am I here? What's going on?"_

 _Ruki leaned back against the wall behind him and swung his legs onto the end of the bed. "It's complicated. I'm sure our Master will explain it to you later."_

" _What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he said, angrily. The small boy growled in irriation and swept his long blonde fringe behind his ear, revealing the hollow where his right eye should be. Yuma visibly shuddered at the sight and Ruki clenched his jaw uncomfortably. "And where the hell is my eye?"_

" _I'm afraid that couldn't be sav-"_

" _Been pretty much stamped into a mush. Looked like a rotten tomato," Yuma interrupted. The large boy frowned and his nostrils flared in anger. "Fuckin' disgusting how they treated you. I would've killed 'em."_

 _The nameless boy let his fringe fall back in front of his face and grew quiet. Random flashes of memory filled his mind - he'd been at the club, he'd tried to run, he'd-_

" _I should be dead, shouldn't I?" he said, looking over at Ruki. "Why am I not dead?"_

 _Ruki rolled his head back against the wall and let out a short sigh. "Our Master can give second chances. You will stay here from now on, with us."_

" _Yeah!" Yuma laughed, his previous anger dissipated. "You'll be our new little brother."_

 _The boy continued staring at Ruki, who no longer stared back. "Second chances don't come cheap, I imagine."_

" _He only asks that we listen and follow orders when they are given," Ruki replied, softly. "I can assure you that no harm will come to you in this house."_

" _Or outside it for that matter," Yuma commented. "Ain't nobody or nothing be able to hurt you now. Part from me, o' course."_

 _Ruki scoffed at his brother's remark. "I will leave it to our Master to explain that part."_

 _Confused, the nameless boy sunk lower down the wall. "I don't understand any of this."_

" _Come on, it ain't hard. You're gonna stay here with us," Yuma chuckled, his deep voice rumbling pleasantly in his chest. "What's your name?"_

" _I don't know. I don't have a name."_

 _Ruki glanced over at Yuma, who was looking straight back at him with an unusually serious expression on his face. The grey-eyed boy nodded and slowly turned his gaze back to the blonde. "Everybody deserves a name."_

" _Yeah!" Yuma chimed in, trademark grin spreading back over his face. "What do ya' wanna be called?"_

 _The nameless boy shifted nervously on the bed, lacing his small hands together in his lap. He looked away from Yuma, unable to understand his kindness - it was not something that he had been privy to since his life began. Momentarily, he glanced over at Ruki, who was staring intently back at him. When he caught the other boy's eye, he quickly looked back at his hands. That sharp grey glare made him uneasy. The nameless boy wasn't sure if it was the way he held himself with such aristocratic poise, or the eery stillness, but was something a little odd about Ruki._

" _Um, I don't know, I've never thought 'b-bout it."_

 _Ruki closed his eyes in thought, then looked back up at him. "Kou."_

" _Kou?" he replied. The hardness in the other boy's eyes had softened and he finally felt his tension ease slightly._

 _Ruki nodded, looking at the light seeping in through the window. "It was my Father's name."_

 _The nameless boy furrowed his brow, then gave Ruki a short, but genuine smile. "I like it. Kou. It's a good name."_

" _Yeah!" Yuma laughed, punching him lightly on the shoulder. "Suits ya'. And we're all going by Mukami, not sure why but it's a good a name as any. "_

 _Ruki nodded. He pushed himself off the bed and turned back to look at his brothers. "I have some things I need to discuss with our Master. Yuma can you make sure that you both get to dinner on time, please?"_

 _Kou relaxed and allowed himself to smile freely at the two boys. He was still uncertain to his current predicament, but he couldn't help but think that something had changed for the better._

-0-

Karlheinz breezed into the entrance hall with a satisfied smile on his lips. Shu stood up from his seat and settled his drink on the small table next to him, immediately on edge. His Father was usually at his most unpleasant when he was happy. The elder vampire halted in front of his sons and laced his hands together in front of him.

"Have you ever heard of the Endzeit plague?"

Shu and Reiji exchanged glances and shook their heads, confused by their Father's words. Karlheinz turned away from them, to look out of the window.

"It is a disease and a rather nasty one at that. It wiped out a number of our ancestors, the ancient Demons, the First Bloods and so forth. It is only a matter of time before it mutated to kill us also - something I will not allow to happen, even if it means curating a new race myself."

"A new race?" Shu repeated, slowly. "What does this have to do with Yui?"

"You know, I have always thought we Pure Bloods to be incapable of feeling in the way humans do. Our kind, demon-kind, we are so stunted in our emotional growth. The power of a demon, with the compassion of a human - a new, enduring race, leading the Earth forward into perfection. To feel, in such an intense manner, that would be marvelous. Don't you think?" The Vampire King turned back to his sons with a thoughtful look on his face. "I have tried to lead this era myself, but alas, I was unsuccessful. Still, my experiments with Cordelia were not without reward. I have created the perfect blend of human and demon in that girl. With Cordelia's heart buried in her chest, she should be able to reproduce with a vampire, as no other human could. It is irritating that she has fallen for you."

"Irritating how?" Shu said, through gritted teeth. He had no clue what his Father was rambling on about, but it seemed like the kind of age long plan he would involve himself in. A new race, Cordelia's heart - this was way over his head.

"Well, you have had the girl long enough and nothing seems to have progressed with her physically. I suppose the Pure Blood route is rather exhausted, so I'm afraid I will have to decline your request. The girl has yet to fulfill her purpose and I wish to try another route. Eve must awaken, for the sake of our kind."

Shu raised his hands to his head and covered his eyes with his palms as he Father railed off his soliloquy. He could feel blood pounding against his temples and red danced behind his eyelids. The sweet image of Yui filled his mind momentarily and he knew that his only option was to take action. In a way, the thought scared him. He had spent so many years slumbering that the idea of facing his responsibilities was daunting. The vampire groaned loudly into his hands and he winced when he felt his fangs elongating and digging into his skin.

"I would like to see the effect of Eve choosing a half-breed, or perhaps relation of the heart that lies within her chest, thus-"

A foul crack rang out in the hall. Reiji barely had time to register his brother's movements before a thick spray of blood spattered across his face and blinded him. He gasped and took a step back, wiping his sleeve across his glasses. Through the smeared red he saw his Father's body collapse to the ground, his knees giving way under the weight of his torso. Shu was standing above the body, one arm outstretched before him.

"Shu, what on Earth-" Reiji began, blinking to try and regain focus on the scene before him. He was silenced when his brother's head lolled onto his shoulder to look at him. His eyes were bloodshot, the usual azure had been replaced with a dark pitch. The veins around his temples were popping out from underneath his pale skin and his jaw hung loose. In his outstretched hand he held his Father's dismembered head. Blood dripped onto the ground from the jagged tear at the base of the neck.

Shu motioned to the door with his head. When he spoke his voice came out as a harsh rasp. "Get out. I have to..."

Reiji nodded, still stunned. His Father's golden eyes were dull, blank, but they still stared out of the lifeless skull as if they were glaring at him. He blinked again, forcing himself to shed the shock. "Don't forget to burn the head after you're done-"

"Eating the heart, yeah, I know," Shu growled, lips curling into a grimace. "How tiresome."

The bespectacled brother stared intently at Shu as he raised the head and brought it closer to his face. "I never thought you would be able to do it."

"It will be disgusting," The blonde wrinkled his nose. "But I did not care for that man, you'll see no remorse from me."

Reiji chuckled, narrowing his eyes at the dripping head. "That's not what I meant."

"Then what?" Shu replied, looking back over at his brother. Reiji was relieved to see the familiar tint of blue in his eyes. The bulging veins beneath his skin seemed to be receding as well.

"I mean - I never thought you would have the spine for it. It seems that girl was the encouragement you needed to take up the mantle and face your responsibilities."

Shu laughed. Reiji nodded his head to him then made his way out of the room, leaving the elder son alone with the remains of his Father. He lifted the head up to his face and grimaced at the slack-jawed smile still present on his lips.

"I-" he paused, and forced the pang of guilt out of his mind. He was not sorry and there was little point proclaiming lies to a dead man. Karlheinz has meant very little to him, the label 'Father' was just a label, nothing more. Shu remembered an early encounter in which Karlheinz told him that he was incapable of love, that demons and vampires like themselves would never be more than monsters.

Shu threw the piece of flesh into the fireplace as he sauntered past, then crouched down next to the headless man. Eating the heart. How pleasant, he thought, as he began to tear through his Father's shirt. The Sakamaki brothers were all familiar with the method of taking the mantle, but he never thought it would be he who was to become the new Vampire King. He didn't want the position or the title but it was the only way to put an end to all this. With apprehension and the image of Yui in his mind, he tore into Karlheinz's chest, ribs cracking cleanly beneath his strong fingers, and pulled out the dead heart.

-0-

Subaru slammed his glass back on the table, almost crippling the stem in the process. He leant forward to eye the contents suspiciously, frowning at the low level of liquid that remained. With a slightly foggy mind, he grabbed the bottle of red wine that sat in front of him, hiccuping slightly as he went to pour another glass for himself. There was little left in the bottle also, so he gestured to the waitress to bring him another.

"Fuck," he growled, under his breath, leaning his cheekbone against his palm. He stared strangely, off into space somewhere. The past few nights had been exhausting for him and his mind was still confused as to the events that had occurred. It couldn't be coincidence that Yui's blood appeared to be the same as Cordelia's, could it? There was something rotten going on and he couldn't help but think the situation had been influenced by Karlheinz in some manner. The details were unclear still, so he hoped Shu and Reiji would lend some clarity or else he had no idea how this would all end. He raised the half-empty glass and drained it quickly.

The waitress sent him a smile as she settled the new bottle down on his table which he returned, after a momentary pause. He wasn't sure if it was the wine, exhaustion or the cramped, dark space of the bar, but her smell was intoxicating. How long had it been since he last fed - surely a couple of days now? He grit his teeth together. His wounds would heal quicker and perhaps his misplaced feelings for Yui would dissipate if he fed. This was a dive bar and there were three patrons, no one would notice. He could just leave the body in the backroom and - he stood up shakily, grabbing the unopened bottle and heading toward the door.

He wasn't meant to be here, he was meant to be back at the Tower, watching over Yui. In his current state he wouldn't feed cleanly, or nicely and there was no point in killing the waitress with the pretty smile for his own, selfish sake.

"Thanks," he mumbled, throwing a note down on the table.

"Thank you," the waitress called, the disappointment due to his departure evident in her voice. "Come back soon!"

Subaru threw the door open and headed outside, taking in a deep breath of the evening air. He would find an animal to feed from for now, until his head was clear and he could drink from their stores at the Manor.

An hour and two dead deer later, he was headed for the Tower, his belly full of thick, sour blood. The dawn was rising - he'd been out for longer than he'd thought. The countryside was quiet, the only sounds that could be heard were the rustling of leaves and the morning birdsong. Subaru enjoyed the moment just before sunrise. He was the only one of his brothers to yearn to see sunlight. Not just the sparse rays of dawn, he wanted to be surrounded by light, to feel the heat - it was a pipe dream, of course, someone like him could never leave the dark.

On the wind, he heard a sound. At first he thought it was a cat wailing but, after pausing to listen, he realised it was screaming. And it was coming from the direction of the Tower. Subaru felt his stomach drop and he took to his heels at full speed. There was no mistaking the sound at a closer distance, it was his Mother screaming. He panted as he threw open the door and headed for the lift. The wailing echoed around the stone walls as his mind raced - what could have happened? He slammed his fists against the metal grate door of the lift - why had he left them alone? How could he be so stupid? Perhaps Ayato had found them, maybe the triplets had come looking-

He pulled the door aside and ran down the hallway, searching for his Mother. At last, he found her tucked into the corner of her bedroom. Her eyes were wide, darting from side to side frantically as if looking for something. The woman was clutching her hair between her fingers, pulling it painfully away from her scalp. Her entire body was shaking from the force of her screams and she seemed to be rocking back and forth on her bare feet. He had seen this before, a number of times. His Mother had many triggers, so many that Karlheinz thought it better to move her out of Sakamaki Manor altogether and isolate her in the Tower. For every day of clarity, there were two of psychosis.

"Mother?" Subaru said, crouching down in front of her. She didn't seem to hear him and the screaming continued. He reached forward and grabbed her hands, pulling them gently away from her hair. The woman thrashed violently, but he kept his grip on her wrists strong and refused to let her go. He stayed quiet, as he always did and tried not to cry. When he was young, he had been terrified of her fits and would lock himself in a separate room until Christa quietened. While listening to her, he would cover his eyes with his palms and weep - for her and for fear that he himself might end up like her. Subaru had grown to swallow his fears, telling himself that she needed someone to help, she needed something to hold onto to pull herself out of her delusions and it was his duty to her. Beneath the screaming, she was still his Mother.

The woman's screams grew softer until they faded into a garbled repetition of, "No no no no no…"

Subaru sighed and drew her closer, wrapping his arms over her shoulders. Christa fell forward and rested her head in the crook of his neck, sobbing loudly.

"Why is she here?" she hissed, her tone suddenly vicious. "How is she here?"

"Who? Yui?"

"Cordelia is wearing her skin," Christa spat, pushing him off her. She stood up sharply and began to pace quickly back and forth across the room.

Subaru clambered to his feet and looked at her cautiously. "Cordelia?"

"That thing, inside her, it started beating and it wouldn't stop and-" Christa paused. Her demeanour changed from angry to distressed and her face crumpled. "She's supposed to be dead, isn't she?"

Subaru moved over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. He held her tight so she could not run and looked her straight in the eyes. "Look at m - calm, stop. Look at me. Cordelia is dead. She has been dead for years. Nothing is going to hurt you."

"That - that thing," she mumbled, tears pouring down her cheeks. Subaru nodded - clearly 'that thing' was Yui. "Wasn't dead. Her heart beat so loud a-and the smell of her-"

"Listen," Subaru said, firmly. "There's no heartbeat, I hear nothing. No smell, no-"

He cut himself off. No, there was nothing. Absolutely nothing. He let go of his Mother's shoulders and headed for the door. Christa began to wail again, her cries filling the Tower, as he made his way to the room where he had left Yui. Filled with panic, he swung open the door.

The bed was empty, the sheets impeccably smooth and remade. The window was shut, the hatch locked. Everything was still, peaceful. The only things left were a sour smell, one he did not recognise and the small flower beads from her hair lying near the pillow.

-0-

He was a confident boy on the outside, he had to be in his role as an idol, but Kou hated his imperfections. After his shows, he would spend hours pouring over the mirror, identifying areas he thought problematic that day. He often found issue with his height, the way his hair fell, whether or not his eyes were too far apart and then - his eye. It always came back to his eye. He was grateful for the gift of sight and the extra powers that came as a part of his glass eye but he hated the way it sat, the way it rolled around in his socket like a dead weight. Most of all he hated what it reminded him of. _A filthy sewer rat with no name._ He would never be that again, there wasn't a person in this city who didn't know his name.

Kou had changed much over the years after his transformation. At first, he had been quiet, withdrawn, hiding behind the larger Yuma and more intelligent Ruki. However, as he grew from a child into an adult, his confidence soared. People started telling him he was beautiful and soon, he started to believe them. Crowds would gather to hear him sing at open-mic nights, then venues, then arenas. Attractive women and men fawned over him and told him they loved him. Their love was fake, but he didn't care. He was equally talented in spinning lies peppered with false adorations. You give, you take. That was life. Quickly, he had become the boldest member of their family, the bright star who everyone adored. Kou had everything he had always dreamed of, peering up from beneath the surface in the sewer, and he was happy.

Over time, beneath the confident, cheerful exterior grew a selfish, spoilt man. His feeds were more vicious than his brothers', he liked to play with his food before he ate it. He liked to make his victims run, to believe they had a chance to escape and then tear them apart in fits of crazed laughter. Kou didn't mind making a mess. Humans were vile creatures in his opinion, they deserved a demeaning death.

It was midnight, and the blonde pouted at his reflection in the living room mirror, angrily folding his arms over his chest. Why couldn't he be as tall as his brother Yuma, or even Ruki for that matter? Hell, he was only just shy of being the same height as Azusa! He would be perfect if he could just grow another couple of inches. The vampire brushed his silky locks behind his ear and winced slightly at the sight of his right eye. Well, almost perfect.

"Ugh. So fucking annoying," he grunted, spinning around on his heel. Yuma was laid out on the couch behind him, eyes closed in relaxation. The larger man shifted slightly, crossing his ankles.

"What is?" he asked, eventually. Kou would undoubtedly start babbling his usual nonsense, but he knew better than to ignore the blonde vampire.

"Doesn't matter," Kou said, throwing himself down into the armchair opposite Yuma. He leaned against the armrest and stuck his hand beneath his chin, thrusting it in the air.

"Are you sulking?" Yuma asked, chuckled derisively. His brother was so sensitive and though it was amusing to watch him work himself up, the larger boy did find it somewhat trying.

"Fuck off, Yuma," Kou snapped. "I said it doesn't matter."

"Whatever," Yuma answered, as he rolled his eyes and shook his head. He looked back up at the ceiling, ignoring the little huffs and grunts coming from the blonde. "I hope Ruki and Azusa get back soon."

The other boy scoffed. "I don't know why he had to take Azusa anyway. One of us would have been much better."

"He said 'e needed someone quiet to go unseen. I'm fucking huge and you're a loud little prick. Azusa was the obvious choice," Yuma replied, scowling at his brother.

"I'm the better choice," Kou grumbled, kicking off his shoes. He swung his legs around so they hung over one armrest whilst his back leaned against the other. "I don't like that they went during the evening. The Purebloods have to stay out of the sun, don't they? We should have gone during the day."

"Our powers are less effective in the sun though," Yuma mumbled. "They'll be faster an' stronger."

"I still don't like it. What if they get caught?" Kou sighed, fiddling with a piece of his fringe.

"They won't get caught," Yuma answered. "Have a little faith."

"Obviously I trust Ruki, but-"

"Don't you have work or something?"

Kou turned his head to look at Yuma, who was still scowling at him. "I already told you. I took the week off so I could meet this new bride. Don't roll your eyes at m-"

"Try not to kill this one, 'kay?" Yuma interrupted. "We've no chance of becoming Adam if they're dead."

"I didn't _try_ to kill her. It was an accident!"

"Was it fuck-"

"Shut up!" Kou shouted, suddenly. A loud beeping sound rang through the air. "Where's my phone? That's my phone!"

"I dunno, it's your phone, ain't it?" Yuma sighed.

"It could be Ruki." Kou scrambled up from the chair and made for his outer jacket, which was crumpled in a pile on the floor near the door. He rifled through the clothing quickly and finally grabbed ahold of the small device. His excited expression dropped to one of boredom. "Ugh, no."

"Who's it?" his brother asked, standing up.

"Just some stupid girl. I thought she might be fun to - well, y'know - but she wanted to 'wait until marriage' or some bullshit. Too much trouble, so I just stopped answering."

"You're such an ass," Yuma chided, rolling his eyes. "I'm hungry, you want anything from the kitchen?"

"Mmm, yeah. Beer, do we have any?"

"I meant food."

"I'm on an all liquid diet right now, Yuma," Kou replied, dropping his phone back down on the floor. "I've told you a million times."

The larger man sighed, exasperated. "Whatever, Kou. I'll get'cha your damn beer."

Kou flashed him a sweet smile and moved to lie on the couch, stretching himself out like a cat. He was annoyed Ruki hasn't picked him to help out, he could be quiet when he needed to be, he was capable! Part of him wanted to be included more in Ruki's plans, as he greatly respected the grey-eyed boy and in a childish way, he wanted to impress him. But he always managed to disappoint because of his lack of self-control. How many potential Eve's had he spoiled - it must have been around ten by this point. He couldn't help it, he just wanted to have fun.

"Here's ya' fucking beer."

Kou jumped when he felt the can drop onto his stomach and sat up straight to glare at his brother, who was moving around the couch to the armchair.

"Yuma!"

"And you stole my seat," Yuma grumbled, jokingly. He raised a hastily-prepared sandwich to his mouth and grimaced slightly. "I can't cook for shit, can I?"

Kou shook his head and cracked open the can of beer. "Not at all."

"Grow it real pretty though," he chuckled. "Can you turn on the T-"

From the corner of his eye, he noticed movement from the hallway. Immediately he discarded his sandwich and stood. Kou raised an eyebrow, then turned around to look in the same direction as Yuma. Ruki and Azusa were stood in the doorway. Azusa was lurking just behind his brother, smiling vacantly.

"Could you move please, Kou?" Ruki asked, his request more of an order than a question.

"Uh, sure," Kou replied, rising quickly and moving back. He leaned against the arm of the chair and laced his hands together in his lap.

In Ruki's arms was a small, blonde girl. Yuma observed her more closely when his brother laid her out on the sofa and crouched down next to her head. She looked to be unconscious. Her mouth was hanging open slightly and her hair was matted at the back, as if she had not moved for days. She was very pale, sickly looking. Yuma raised his eyebrows when he saw the deep bite marks on her neck and noticed that her shirt was saturated with red stains.

"Is she dead?" Kou asked, curiously.

Yuma raised a hand to her neck and placed two fingers on the side of her throat. Beneath his fingertips he felt a gentle throbbing. "No, she's alive. Unconscious, though? What happened?"

Azusa stepped further into the room and peered down at the girl, mouth twitching slightly. "She was like that...when found her."

Ruki sighed, clearly annoyed. "She's not what I expected. Our Master said she was resilient-"

"Looks pretty fragile to me," Yuma replied. He shot Kou a glare. "So go easy, yeah?"

"Screw you," Kou snapped, narrowing his eyes. "She's not my type anyway."

"Stop, both of you," Ruki said, squeezing the bridge of his nose between his fingers. "We must try our hardest with this one, he's counting on us. And apparently, this one is special."

"Well, she don't look it," Yuma murmured. "But if the Master reckons she is, we might have a chance with this one."

"Indeed. Kou, could you take her to the guest suite, please? She'll stay there until she is conscious."

"You got it," Kou grinned, pushing Yuma aside to get to the girl.

"Oi, watch it you little-"

"I said, stop!"

-0-

Blood dripped from between his fingers to the floor. It stained his full lips and had dried into a thick crust on the tips of his flame-red hair. He studied himself in the mirror, green eyes tracing the lines of his pale torso. A number of crescent shaped marks littered his shoulder. He had tried to put the past few weeks out of his mind and indulged himself. But the indulgence had soon turned sour and seemingly no amount of sex or blood could slake his lust. This one hadn't wanted to die, had she? Ayato tilted his head to one side and ran his bloody fingers over the marks. They were deep but they wouldn't take long to heal. He spat into the sink and wiped his hand over his mouth, disgusted with himself. Were these really the lengths he had to go to to satiate himself? It had become so much harder after she left.

" _You are worthless to me unless you are the best. Worthless boys must spend eternity at the cold, damp, bottom of the lake, all alone where no one can help them."_

He dropped his hand back to his side and clenched his fingers into a fist. Just thinking about her made him furious.

"Must you always be so messy?"

Ayato jumped at the sound of the shrill voice behind him. He turned to see Kanato standing in the doorway to his private bathroom. The vampire was peering over the top of his stuffed bear at the mangled, dead thing that lay in the empty bathtub.

"Tch - I'll clean it up," he retorted, running a hand through his hair. "I did it in the bathroom so you would stop bitching about the fucking carpets, Kanato."

"How considerate of you," his brother replied, turning away from him. "Idiot. Just get rid of it before it starts to smell."

Ayato wrinkled his nose. He remembered that smell vividly - a strange, slightly sweet, foul rotting stench. The body had been in the wardrobe, he'd completely forgotten about it. He'd slept with tissue up his nose for weeks even after they removed it.

"Yeah, yeah - I'll do it. Just get out," he snapped, striding toward the door. "Fucking hysteric."

He slammed it shut behind Kanato, his hand lingering on the wood. The vampire pressed his other hand against the door and leaned forward, hanging his head down between his arms. He breathed in deeply and squeezed his eyes shut. How could he still be so thirsty?

"Are you okay?"

Ayato opened his eyes, but didn't move. He would know the voice of his triplet anywhere. "I'm fine, Laito."

"You don't look fine," he replied. Ayato felt his brother's hand rest on his shoulder.

He pushed himself away from the door and stood up straight. Laito watched him silently, his cat-like eyes narrowing.

"Look, I'll get rid of this. Go to sleep or something, you look exhausted," the triplet sighed, glancing at the figure in the bathtub.

Ayato raised an eyebrow. "You sure?"

Laito grinned widely and held up a thumb. "Of course. But you owe me one."

The older triplet nodded wearily and headed out of the bathroom. The foul stench of unappetizing blood pervaded his bedroom - he couldn't sleep here. Ayato sighed irritably and yanked open his bedroom door. He'd just spread out in the main hall, at least it was comfortable.

It was silent in the hall and dark, thanks to the thick purple curtains that sheltered them from the light of the sun. He flung himself down on his favourite couch, a larger one, with softer pillows that was tucked away in the corner. The vampire rested his head back and let one of his arms dangle, so his fingertips brushed the cold wooden floor below. As his exhausted mind drifted, he thought back to the first time he had met Yui - in this exact spot. Back then he hadn't registered the familiar smell of her blood, he'd been too distracted by tormenting her. A wry smile pulled at his lips. She was so easy to rile.

Ayato couldn't be certain of his feelings toward the girl. His head had become clearer over the past four days, more so than when she had been present, but he was still confused. It was obvious the driving force behind his obsession with her was the influence of his Mother's blood. He still had no idea how, or why, but he knew that _was_ his Mother's blood. Even thinking about the taste, the feeling - it made his body ache. He ran one hand through his hair and placed the other on his chest, smoothing over the bare skin of his chest.

He didn't dislike Yui. She was stronger than he had originally thought and he liked the fight that was growing in her. She was kind, a nature Ayato wasn't used to but found he liked. And sure she had been fun to play around with, but did he want the girl, without the blood? The vampire sighed. No, he didn't. Not like Shu seemed to.

He truly hadn't meant to hurt the girl, but the madness clouding his mind prevented him from stopping. Her blood made him feel powerful, ecstatic, he was addicted to the taste of it. The hand on his chest began to shake and his throat started to feel raw. He growled and gripped his hair tightly in his fingers. This was pathetic - he would not let that blood affect him like this, he didn't need it.

 _Pathetic, worhtless, scum._ No, he was not. He was better than that, he was better than _her._ Slowly, he opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling. He was the best. He did not need her. He hadn't been himself when she infected him, the blood made him reliant and needy. He was the best, even without her. He was the best when he was just himself.

Ayato swallowed thickly to soothe the raw feeling in his throat but found it would not budge. He swung his legs around and planted them on the ground, resting his forearms on his thighs. He would drive this feeling out, sure it might take a while, but he did it before, didn't he?

Of course he did, he was the best.

The red-head grinned. He'd missed his sense of self, he'd missed being him.

"Laito!" he shouted, standing up. "Get your ass down here."

His fellow triplet appeared in an instance, an uncommon look of worry on his face. "What? Are you okay?"

Ayato widened his smile and placed his hands on his hips. "Don't look so fucking worried. Let's get changed, I want to go out."

Laito cocked his head to one side. "Go out? Why?"

"I wanna hunt for something nicer."

"What?"

"I want to find something hot to fuck and suck."

"Oh," Laito replied, worried expression dropping into a sinister grin. "Feeling better are we?"

Ayato nodded. "Spectacular. Let's go, I need to get the last traces of that stupid bitch out of me, she doesn't deserve any more of Yours Truly's time."

His brother chuckled. "Finally ready. Good."

"Yeah, yeah. My judgement was a bit skewed for a bit, okay?"

"It's nice to have you back to your usual asshole ways, Ayato."

"I'm not an asshole, dickhead. Yours Truly is fucking perfect."

The triplets were startled by the sudden loud crash of the main door swinging open. Ayato stepped in front of his sibling protectively, shoulders rising tensely. He eased when Subaru stormed into the hall. He looked furious and still moved unsteadily as a result of previous skirmishes. The albino looked around the hall wildly until he caught sight of his half-brothers, then moved across the hall to join them.

"Where the fuck is she?" Subaru growled, one fist clenching at his side.

"Who?" Laito asked.

Ayato cocked his head. "You mean Pancake, right?"

"Obviously. Now what have you done with her?" Subaru's voice was quivering, as if on the brink of exploding with anger.

The triplets looked at one another, confused.

"I haven't seen our Little Bitch since she left," Laito said, slowly. He looked back at Subaru. "What happened?"

"I don't know," Subaru replied. He surveyed the triplets for a moment and was surprised to find no hint of a lie in their actions. "I left Yui in the Tower with my Mother watching over her-"

"With your crazy-ass Mother? What the fuck were you thinki-"

"She's not crazy," Subaru snapped, angrily. "They were both in the Tower, Mother didn't hear or see anyone come in or out and you know what a fortress that place is. I came back, she was gone. Nothing left but this weird smell."

"Who would want to steal our Little Bitch?" Laito asked, tapping his forefinger against his lips. "Shu?"

"He would have told me," Subaru said, firmly. The vampire sighed deeply and let out an exasperated grunt. "I really thought she would be here."

"Did she run away?" Ayato asked. He leaned back against the arm of the couch, looking down at the floor with a troubled look on his face.

"Yui wouldn't do that," Subaru replied.

"Wait you said something about a weird smell?"

"Yeah, kinda like ash or -" he paused, trying to find the right words. "Like us, but gone off."

Laito chuckled and looked back at Ayato. "Who wants to bet 'that man' has something to do with this?"

Subaru grunted in agreement. He paused, then stepped closer to the triplets. "Wait, there was something else. My Mother was convinced that Yui was Cordelia, she kept talking about the sound of her heart-"

"What?" Ayato snapped, eyes widening.

"Well, she could be having one of her, um, delusions but..." Subaru trailed off. "It's an odd coincidence don't you think?"

Laito hummed to himself in thought. "Her heart couldn't possibly be beating, could it? Shu told us-"

"I saw," Subaru sighed. "If there was the tiniest amount of life left in that girl, I would have known."

The eldest triplet stiffened and pushed himself away from the armchair. "There's something fucking weird going on."

The three stood in silence, uncertain of what to do. Eventually, Ayato let out a deep sigh and started to walk slowly toward the staircase, hands shoved deep into his pockets.

"We need to find her," he murmured.

"You know Shu will never let yo-"

"I don't want or need her," Ayato interrupted, as he began to ascend the stairs. "Not anymore. I just don't like the idea of someone stealing from us."

Laito smiled at his retreating brother before looking back at the albino. "This is all very interesting, isn't it?"

"We need to contact Shu and Reiji," Ayato called, just before heading into the upper hallway. "And then, we're gonna find our Pancake."


	15. Chapter 14

Thank you for all the lovely reviews as usual, please share and like if you are enjoying!

This chapter will be mostly a Yui/Mukami update, with the next focusing primarily on the Sakamakis.

-0-

 _Good grief._

Yui's eyes opened slowly, as the heavy fog of sleep began to lift. Her head was pounding. She could feel the veins in her forehead throbbing against her temples so hard it seemed like the vessels would explode under the pressure. Her hazy vision began to focus, though she still could barely see thanks to the dim light of the evening. How her body ached - it felt as if her back had been twisted at some uncomfortable angle, causing her to strain her neck and hurt herself awfully by the time she woke up. How long had she been sleeping for? What was happening? She sat up slowly, blinking hard to try and stave the dizziness, and observed her surroundings. It was a bedroom, but not one she had seen before - though Sakamaki Manor was so huge she wouldn't have been surprised if there were rooms she had never encountered before. Her thoughts drifted to the vampire brothers, then to Shu. She vaguely recounted heading to the dungeons to find him, then - nothing. The girl raised her hands to her face and rubbed her eyes gently. Perhaps she had lost too much blood when he was feeding from her and she passed out - yes, that must be the answer.

Shakily, she pushed herself off the bed and wobbled to the single door across the room. From the stiffness in her limbs, she gathered must have been asleep for a long time. Panic started to rise in her - what if Ayato had done something, or Reiji…?

She frowned when she stepped outside of the bedroom into a darkened hallway, lit by a single gas lamp which was hanging from the wall in front of her. As she turned her head from side to side, trying to place her whereabouts, the door behind her swung shut, slamming loudly and blowing the small flame out. Now plunged into darkness, Yui's heart began to race. Something was not right, it was too quiet, too unfamiliar - this didn't seem to be Sakamaki Manor at all. She reached up to fiddle with the dilapidated iron gas light, flicking the flint back and forth. Fire sprang from the center, which she quickly contained by closing the glass shade. She smiled at the soft, orange glow, finding comfort in the warmth and watched as the light created strange, eerie shadows dancing on the floor.

The lamp flickered on and off as she walked, the light following her movements around the hallway. There was no other doors, just smooth walls with a few still-life paintings decorating different areas. She came to a spiralling set of stone steps, leading up and down. Nervously, she began to descend. It truly was a strange night, she thought, looking out of the thin glass window that was imbedded in the stone wall beside her. Fog rolled over the forest outside, twisting and writhing as if it were a living creature. There were no stars, but the sky was such a strange shade of brown that it seemed to light the earth below. Yui turned away from the window and continued her descent, terrified. The environment outside confirmed her fears - this was definitely not Sakamaki Manor. She tried to quell her panic - maybe Shu had moved her here to protect her? But where was he?

The steps came to an end and she found herself in another room. This one was small, square, with four bookcases placed around a central aisle. At the end of the room was a large window that covered the near entirety of the wall, below which sat a thick oak desk and a number of squishy leather armchairs. Sighing deeply, the girl placed the heavy gas lantern down onto the desk, seating herself down into the chair opposite simultaneously. She had no idea what to do, but her body was protesting against her moving an inch further, so she decided to try and gather her thoughts. Keep calm, she told herself, stay calm. From her seated position, she noticed a solitary book placed on the desk in front of her. It lay squarely in the centre of the table, plain navy, mottled leather with brassy metal encasing each corner to protect the pages. From what she could see there was no title, no wording on the spine, yet it didn't appear to have lost its dust-cover either. Strange, she thought, reaching towards the unknown book. Perhaps it could tell her something about her current situation. The pages were entirely blank. As she flicked through, a small piece of paper dropped from between the pages onto the table.

Yui raised an eyebrow, picking up the paper and moving to closer to her face. She drew the lamp closer, squinting her eyes in order to make out the image. It was a photograph, showing a man and a woman stood in front of a large house. The couple were both looking fondly at the small child the woman held in her arms. The child was lovely - a rosy cheeked little boy with the first wisps of dark hair sprouting from his head and beautiful grey eyes. Yui smiled gently, running her thumb over the image of the child. This was a happy scene. She swallowed thickly, trying not to think of her Father.

"Miss Komori," a deep voice called out. Yui jumped, not expecting the sudden sound.

"Shu, is th-" she began, turning around in her seat to view the person behind her. She couldn't make out a lot in the fairly dim light, but she could see the faint outline of a man, leaning against a bookcase. He moved forward, placing his hands into his pockets. "Is that you?"

"No," he replied, quietly, as Yui climbed out of her chair to face him fully. Her face dropped when she made out his face - she had no idea who this man was. He was tall and very pale, a stark contrast to his dark hair. His eyes were sharp and the colour of steel. He stepped towards her and nodded his head curtly toward the book in her hand. "Give me my book."

"Oh, um, sorry," she answered, rather flustered. She looked to the photograph in her other hand. "This photograph fell out-"

"You shouldn't touch things that don't belong to you," the man said, coolly. He leaned back against one of the bookshelves behind him, eyes never moving from Yui as she trembled and handed the book and the photograph over to him.

"I - um. What's going on? Where am I?" she asked, stepping back from him. She looked back up at the man, only really able to see his pale skin standing out starkly in the blackness. His eyes were so dark that they melded with the environment around him, giving his face a shark-like demeanor. He was certainly staring at her as if she were prey. "Who are you?"

"My name is Ruki Mukami," he said, looking down at his hands and raising one up to examine his pristine fingernails. Yui thought he seemed a very arrogant boy. He was rather handsome, with his eerily perfect skin and high, aristocratic features. His carved lips twisted upwards into a smirk as he caught her observing him. "Stop staring at me."

Yui stammered a series of unintelligible noises and backed away from the man. The back of her thighs hit against the study desk and she leaned back on her hands to steady herself. It may have been due to exhaustion mixed with the growing panic, or the lack of sustenance in her body, but her head started to spin and she gripped the table tighter. She couldn't pass out, not here, not with this strange man watching her.

"Where am I?" she asked, slowly.

"Our home."

"Our?"

Ruki nodded. He was so still, his gaze so focused, that he scared her. "My brothers and I live here. And now so do you, Eve."

Yui squinted, still fighting the haze that clouded her vision. "Eve?"

Her elbows buckled and she started to fall. Before her knees gave way completely, she felt his hand grasp her upper arm and drag her back onto her feet. Ruki tutted and drew her closer, lacing the other arm around her back to keep her steady. Yui trembled at his proximity and a sudden feeling of nausea washed over her.

"All will be explained in time," he said, softly. The man leaned forward slightly, gazing at her throat. "Your blood smells exquisite."

Ruki leaned closer and she felt his hair brush her cheek. He smirked slightly, revealing a long, pointed fang. Yui jerked her body out of his grip and was surprised when he let her go without fuss. She stumbled backwards, falling into the table roughly and banging her hip. Ruki watched her silently, offering no further help.

"You're...you're one of...them-" she mumbled, leaning heavily on the wooden top. "Like...them…"

"We're nothing like that family," Ruki frowned, displeased with the comparison. "But we are vampires, yes."

Trapped with a new set of vampires? Yui cursed inwardly - what had she done to deserve this? Afraid, and angry that the Sakamaki brothers seemed to have abandoned her with these new vampires, she drew in a deep breath and pushed herself away from the desk. There was a door behind her and though she had no idea where it would lead, it was worth a chance. In a sudden movement, she dashed the gaslamp to the floor. The lighter fluid slid across the floor between them and soon burst into flames, giving Yui the chance to run unsteadily to the door.

Behind her, Ruki was looking down at the fire, annoyed. He expected her to try and run, but there was no reason for her to make a mess. The door slammed behind her as she exited the room and he heard the sound of her sluggish footsteps heading down the corridor beyond. He felt the sudden presence of his brothers at his side.

"That seemed to go well," Kou chuckled, grinning madly in the firelight. "She going to try to escape, isn't she?"

Ruki rolled his eyes. "Obviously."

"She won't get far," Kou replied, happily.

Ruki shot him a glare - he knew that light, slightly psychotic lilt to Kou's voice would be unfortunate. "Do not hurt her, that's an order. She's in a bad enough state as it is. Just get her to the dining room, she needs to eat. Yuma, go with him."

The larger brother nodded, watching the fire intently. Unconsciously, he ran a hand over the back of his neck. Beneath his fingertips, he could feel the rough scars that covered his right shoulder. Though the harsh red colour had long since faded, there remained a silvery web of fallen skin. It was delicate looking, almost as if his shoulder were covered in intricately woven lace, odd compared to the rest of his broad musculature. He could tell the scars were the remains of serious burns and though he tried his best to remember, he could not place the event that caused the scars. Fire, the heat of it, its light - it fascinated him.

"Yuma?"

He shook his head and turned his gaze back to Ruki, who was peering at him curiously. "Yeah, sorry. Just thinkin' bout something."

"Did you hear me?" his brother replied, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, fine. Let's go get her, Kou," Yuma responded. He pulled on Kou's shoulder as he headed for the spiral staircase. "C'mon, she's going to end up near the kitchens, we'll go this way."

"Don't push me!"

"Be quiet for one minute, ya drama queen."

-0-

 _His Father always told him 'to be the best you must suffer'._

 _Shu had never felt suffering like this before. All the horrors of his time, all the pain, hit him like a freight train and his body toppled to the floor. His vision was clouded by darkness and he seemed to lose all control of his limbs. His mind was filled to the brim with thoughts, thoughts that were not his own. There were voices, voices that whispered thousands of years of secrets. He heard his Father's voice clear as day between the whispers. There was too much, too many thoughts, too much power flooding his body-_

 _He was burning._

 _Karlheinz told him of plans for a new race, his plans, his failed attempts-_

 _He spoke of First Bloods and Pure Bloods and half-breeds-_

 _He spoke of destruction and godlike ability, he spoke of-_

 _He spoke of powers granted to the King and how to use them-_

 _The blonde opened his mouth to scream as the burning intensity of the Vampire King's power began to flood his body._

 _He spoke of an inability to feel, of time passing and passing and passing-_

 _His numb body was suddenly overwhelmed with sensation and he writhed on the floor, fingers reaching out for something to hold onto. An infinite amount of time seemed to pass._

 _Karlheinz relinquished the last of his power without care. He told him that he was happy to die. He said he was proud of him._

Shu gasped and his eyes flew open. The strange sensation ceased, though his mind was still reeling from the overwhelming injection of information. He sat up slowly and ran a hand through his hair. Shu observed the corpse of his Father, which was lying still next to him. The man's plans had been vast, the effort and dedication he had given them was almost admirable. Had he not been so utterly deplorable, he might have gained his son's respect.

The blonde man stood up shakily and moved to the fireplace. Karlheinz's head rested in the grate, vacant eyes looking out at him. Shu shuddered, still unnerved by the odd smile that played on the dead man's lips.

 _Don't forget to burn the head after you're done._

Shu sighed and crouched down, resting one hand against the mantelpiece. Now was as good a time as any to flex the unfamiliar power in his body. It felt strange, almost like the atmosphere around him had grown thicker. He could feel everything around him, he could hear things that hadn't even happened yet. He could see flickers of past memories throughout the house. He stared at the grate and allowed the power to surge inside him. Instantly, the grate burst into flames, engulfing the severed head and filling the fireplace. Shu jumped back, eyes wide with fright at the sight of the flames, which were now burning with such ferocity that they threatened to spill over into the hall. He forced himself to think calmly and breathed in and out deeply. Slowly, the flames receded, until they were burning at an average, manageable height.

He watched silently as the flesh on the skull began to wither. It cracked and fizzled, turning to dark black ash in minutes. Shu swallowed thickly, clenching his hands at his sides. Fire still disturbed him greatly. It ate and ate and it was seemingly never satisfied. He turned away from the fireplace when the acrid smell of burning flesh reached his nose. As he moved toward the exit, he caught his reflection in the long mirror on the wall and surveyed his body. The transfer of power had made no noticeable changes, he was relieved to see. However, as he walked closer to the mirror, he was surprised to see a change in his eye colour. Gone was the bright blue - in its place, a subtle gold. Shu wrinkled his nose. They were the same as his Father's eyes, the eyes of the Demon Lord.

-0-

The blood beating through her temples was so loud now, she could barely concentrate. Her vision was fading, dipping from dim to full darkness every minute or so. But she had to keep going, she had to find a way out. Why had they left her here - why had Shu left her here? Maybe she was just prey to them after all, why else would they throw her away so readily? Now was not the time to think on her aching heart, she had to focus. She paused momentarily and leaned against the wall - this corridor seemed to go on forever. There were two doors to her right and, taking a chance that this might lead to an exit, she opened one of them gently.

"Hi!"

Yui screamed and fell backwards into the hallway. In the doorway stood a blonde man, who was smiling brightly at her. His hair hid half of his face, but she could see one large blue eye and fangs extending down over the rest of his smile. Immediately, she scuttled backwards until her back hit the wall on the opposite side of the corridor.

"Where are you going, my little kitten?" the man cooed, cocking his head to one side.

"I-I," she stammered, holding her hands out in front of her. "Don't come any closer!"

The blonde giggled happily and took a few steps toward her. "But you look so _tasty._ "

"Don't frighten her, you idiot," a deeper voice called out. From behind the blonde, another man appeared. He was brunette, more rugged looking compared to the polished, pretty blonde, and enormous. Yui did her best to stand, though she wobbled slightly.

"Please, leave me alone!" she pleaded, panting slightly from over-exertion.

The blonde vampire chuckled lightly, but the larger one stayed silent. Eventually he let out a sigh and stepped toward her. Blind with panic, Yui started to stumble away from him, weeping freely. She let out a strangled cry when she felt a heavy weight collide with her back and she was lifted away from the floor. The larger man grimaced down at her, placing his arm around her shoulders and another beneath her knees.

"You're a bit light, ain't cha?" he chided. "Need to get some food in you."

"Please, put me down...please," she gasped. Her tired body wouldn't allow her to struggle on any further, so she laid still in the man's arms.

"Ugh, girls are so ugly when they cry like that," the blonde said, with a scoff.

"Shut up, Kou," the other replied, irritably. "Let's just get her to the dining room like Ruki said, yeah?"

"Fine, fine."

The gentle swaying of the man's movements as he walked were oddly soothing so Yui closed her eyes, no fight left in her. He shook her slightly, forcing her eyes open.

"Don't fall asleep, eh? I'd be worried you wouldn't wake up," he said, quietly. "I hope Ruki's made somethin' nice. I'm fucking starving."

"Language, Yuma," the one named Kou chirped. "There are ladies present."

"Fuck off," he responded.

The men turned a corner and headed into another room. It was warmer here and the delicious scent of ginger was wafting through the air. Yui looked up at the larger man, Yuma. He noticed her staring up and sent her a warm smile. It was brief, but it was the first she had seen in a long time and in an odd way, it quelled some of the panic in her mind.

"Are you going to kill me?" she whispered. The tears on her cheeks began to dry.

Yuma blinked once, as if he hadn't heard her correctly. "No."

"Why am I here?"

"Because you're Eve, or at least you might be. Ruki explains it better than me."

Yui shook her head. "I'm not - my name is Yui Komori."

"Jus' wait, okay?" Yuma said, furrowing his brows. "We're not gonna hurt ya'."

"Then why am I - what happened?" she asked, exasperated.

"Dunno. Ruki found you like this. Looks like someone bit you pretty bad, though."

Yui frowned. Slowly, her hand moved to her neck. There, at the base of her throat, were two bite marks. They felt deeper than any other she had received and unlike most, completely numb to the touch. The area around each puncture was ragged and the skin seemed not to have healed properly.

"How did-?"

Yuma shrugged, raising her body up and down with his movement. "No idea. Wasn't us. Probably one of them neets you lived with."

"Neets?" she repeated, confused.

Before she had the chance to receive an answer, she was set back on her feet. Yuma placed a hand on her back to stop her from stumbling. This was the dining hall they must have been talking about. It was smaller than that at Sakamaki Manor, though just as opulent. The table was long, but the places had been set close to one another at one end. Ruki was sat on one side, staring intently at his glass of wine. Sat next to him was another male, who had a rather different look to the others. He was hunched over his plate, playing absentmindedly with the thick bandage that covered his wrist. His eyes were vacant, hollow, he did not even seem to notice their arrival.

"Sit down, kitten," Kou said, sending her a sweet smile. He gestured to the head of the table.

Yui gave him a weak smile back - what on Earth was going on? She decided to play along for the moment, at least she might be able to recoup some energy by eating. The food on the table looked delicious and she felt her stomach grumble angrily.

"Thank you," she replied, walking slowly to the seat. She lowered herself into it and tried to avoid eye contact with Ruki, who was now looking directly at her. The dark-haired boy intimidated her to the extent that it almost verged on fear.

Yuma and Kou sat next to one another on her right side. She was relieved to have Yuma sitting closest to her. Kou unsettled her slightly - he seemed very excitable and despite his friendly smile, she didn't feel the same warmth from it as she did from Yuma.

"You took your time," Ruki said, coolly.

Yuma grunted, reaching forward to grab a large chunk of bread. "You said not to freak her out. 'Ad to walk around a bit to let her calm down after Kou pounced on her."

Ruki seemed to ignore him and he turned his gaze back to her. "Eat, please."

"Yeah, you look fucking dreadful!" Kou laughed, reaching across Yuma to grab a bottle of wine from the centre of the table.

The larger vampire slapped his hands away. "Ask if you want it, don't fuckin' reach across me like tha-"

"Please," Ruki snapped, raising his glass to his lips. "Let us have one night of peace for the sake of our guest."

Yui bit her bottom lip and nervously drew in a breath. "Guest?"

"Yeah!" Kou exclaimed, batting away Yuma's arm. He poured himself a large glass of wine and then reached across his brother again to fill the one in front of Yui. "You're our little house kitten."

As soon as her glass was full, Yuma growled and pulled the blonde back into his seat. Kou sent him a foul glare in return and turned his nose up in the other direction.

"What Kou means to say," Ruki interjected. "Is that you will remain here with us for the foreseeable future."

"B-but I can't! I have to go back to-"

"Why?" Ruki asked, placing his glass back on the table.

Yui furrowed her brow, trying to think of a reasonable answer. "Because of-"

 _Because of Shu._

Ruki raised an eyebrow. "When we found you, you were unconscious, drenched in blood and locked in a tower. No-one was there, no-one tried to stop us. Do you really think that family cared about you?"

"But, I-"

"They were using you as a temporary plaything, nothing more. But we need you, Eve. You'll be treated with more respect in this house."

Yui slumped in her chair, his harsh words still ringing in her ears. She had been left in a tower - why couldn't she remember any of this? What had happened to Shu, why would be just leave her unconscious in a strange place? Perhaps there was a modicum of truth to this man's words after all.

"Why was I unconscious?" she asked.

Ruki shrugged lightly and reached across the table to pick up the bread basket. "I presume that one of the Sakamaki brothers drank a little too deeply from you. The wounds on your neck have not yet begun to heal, which is strange as most would have by now. Now please, eat."

He gestured to the bread basket in his other hand, offering it to her. Yui reached for a piece, her stomach growling at the smell. She nodded her head in thanks and sat silently whilst the brothers ate their food. Why would one of the Sakamakis bite her so harshly, she thought, gently touching the vicious wound on her neck. They had never gone too far before and the full moon had already passed. Perhaps Ayato had gone mad with bloodlust? No, she mused, surely Subaru would have protected her from that? Besides, Ayato wanted her blood, she was of no use to him dead.

Then - perhaps it was Shu? Her eyes started to water. But why would he hurt her? He wouldn't have tried to turn her into a vampire without telling her, she thought, he knew how disgusted she was by the idea. Months of living with demons had made her treasure her humanity and she wouldn't give that up for the chance of immortality. No, he wouldn't do that to her.

Maybe they had all decided she was too much bother. Maybe they had drained her and left her to die.

Confused and upset, she felt a tear run down her left cheek and her hands clutched the un-eaten piece of bread tighter. She tried not to make a sound and let her hair fall in front of her face, trying to conceal her sadness from the Mukamis.

"Hey," Yuma said, softly. When he didn't get her attention he prodded her leg with his foot under the table. The girl looked up at him slowly, tears still threatening to spill over. The vampire didn't smile, but his eyes were kind and he offered her an overly-loaded bowl of food. "C'mon. Eat, you'll pass out again if not."

Yui nodded and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She leaned over and took the bowl from him, giving him a grateful half-smile. "Thank you."

He grunted in response and went back to shovelling spoonfuls of vegetables into his mouth. Kou tutted at him.

"You're such a pig."

Yuma swore through a large mouthful, causing Ruki to sigh irritably. Yui began to eat and found herself thankful for the food, it made her feel a little better. This family were so different from the Sakamakis, she thought, they were a lot closer. It would have been sweet had she not been so on edge. She raised the wine glass placed in front of her to her lips and was pleasantly surprised by the taste.

Ruki placed his cutlery down and turned to Yui. Yuma and Kou were still bickering loudly, which took the attention off them for a moment.

"When you are finished we will go to my room," he stated, quietly.

Yui swallowed the large gulp of wine she had taken and looked back at him hesitantly. "Your room?"

"It is clear that you will try to run if we leave you alone-"

"But, I-"

"Let me finish," he said, sharply. Yui ceased her protest - Ruki really was very unnerving. "As evidenced by your earlier display we cannot leave you alone yet. Therefore, you will sleep in my room."

She blinked twice, at first thinking she had misheard him. Her pulse quickened and her stomach twisted nervously. "Sleep in your room? With you?"

Ruki frowned and his dark eyes narrowed. "I'm not going to touch you, you are very unappealing to me."

She breathed out, relieved, though slightly stung by his obvious disgust toward her. However, the thought of sleeping next to someone other than Shu made her feel dreadful and she could see no way out. Silently, she still prayed for him to appear and take her away from this but in her head she knew better. The Sakamakis had let her down before, why should she trust them to help her now? No matter how much her heart ached, she knew the only person she could rely on was herself. _Stay alive, stay alive, there will be a chance to escape someday_. This sentence had become her mantra, words of hope that she had repeated to herself every day since arriving at Sakamaki Manor. Ruki looked back at his empty glass for a moment, before pushing himself away from the table and standing.

"Come with me," he ordered, turning away from her. He began to walk away from the table, leaving her to scuttle behind him as quickly as her exhausted body would let her. She sent the other three brothers a smile as she left and noted a strangely agitated look on Yuma's face.

The girl followed Ruki into the corridor, which was dimly lit by the light coming from the dining room. He held the door to the corridor open until she passed him, upon which he let it swing shut behind him. The hallway was instantly plunged into darkness, causing Yui distress. She was frightened enough when she could see the grey-eyed vampire, let alone when she couldn't. His hand landed on her shoulder and pushed her forward gently.

"Walk. I will tell you when to turn and stop."

Yui stumbled forward and stretched her arms in front of her to make sure she didn't hit anything.

"Don't you have a light?" she asked nervously.

"I want to see how you take direction," came his voice from somewhere in the darkness. "Turn left."

She began to pant, her heart frantically beating due to fear. Quickly, she swerved right, waving her hands around in the dark. The girl continued walking blindly for what seemed like forever, occasionally responding to his directions until his final order rang through the pitch black.

"Stop."

His voice came closer behind her than before and Yui stumbled away from it, nearly tripping over her own feet. She felt his arms circle around her waist, holding her steady. After a pause to catch her breath, she pried his arms off her and pushed him away, still unable to see him in the darkness.

"You take orders well, despite your obvious shortcomings," he murmured.

Yui felt him close to her and backed away until she hit a solid surface and could to not further. His hands rested on the wall beside her head and she could feel how close he was from the breath that warmed her face.

"Please don't," she whispered, starting to tremble.

"Don't what, livestock?" he asked.

She felt a hand rest on her chin and whimpered when he forced her head to one side. "Please, not now. I'm not feeling well, I'm exhausted and-."

Ruki chuckled, though it was a laugh absent of any amusement but more one of derision. "You are in no position to refuse, are you?"

"I can refuse," Yui replied. "But it won't stop your actions if you choose to ignore me, will it?"

The vampire gave a breathy laugh and released her chin. "It is pleasing to hear you have half a brain in your head, Eve."

Yui felt him shuffle slightly and suddenly the hard surface behind her began to fall away. She shrieked when she realised she had been leaning against a door, not solid wall, and she was sent crashing to the floor. Light from above blinded her temporarily and when focused returned, she saw Ruki standing above her with his hands in his pockets.

"Get up," he said, stepping over her.

"It was your fault I fell!" Yui balked, clambering to her feet.

Ruki slowly placed his book down on the desk near the window, then turned around and glared at her. "Do not speak to me like that."

"But, it was," she replied, annoyance obvious in her tone. "And I-"

Before she could finish her sentence, Ruki had stalked across the room and placed a heavy hand around her upper arm. The girl looked up at him fearfully, her words trailing off. He began to drag her further into the room and she found herself too weak to escape his grip. The vampire flung her face-first onto his bed and she twisted around onto her back so she could see him.

"Do not speak to me like that," he said coldly, looking down at her with disdain. "Learn your place."

Yui scowled but chose not to retaliate for fear of angering him further. He sneered at her and crammed his hands into his pockets.

"Better," he commented. Yui stiffened as he approached the bed, which did not go unnoticed. "Don't move."

Ruki kicked her right ankle with the point of his shoe, forcing her legs apart. Before she could jerk away, he stepped between them and rested a knee between her legs. She screeched and scratched at his shoulders, though he soon grabbed ahold of her wrists and forced them down on the bed. The man leaned over her as she struggled, watching her calmly.

"You don't seem so exhausted," he remarked, face now close to hers. "I will be sure to leave enough to keep you alive."

Yui screamed as he lurched forward and sunk his fangs into the juncture of her shoulder and neck. He held her tightly and his chest crushed against hers, pinning her effectively. The vampire let out a satisfied moan as her blood flowed into his mouth and dribbled out of his lips onto his chin. In her weakened state, Yui couldn't keep up the screaming for long and her cries soon devolved in unhappy sobs. Despite the pain, her vision began to cloud with black spots and soon, she had fallen back into complete darkness.

-0-

 _Mother always told him that he was nothing like his Father. His Father was warm, he had been cold, ever since the day he was born. She said he never cried as a baby. His Father was strong, kind, whereas he was weak and spoilt. His Father was loving - he was the kind of boy who laughed when the Cook tripped and got covered in boiling water. He was the kind of boy who poked her wounds before going for help._

 _His Father was a good man. Ruki was not. Soon, though, he thought, soon they would have something in common. They would both be dead._

 _The little boy screamed as the brand was settled on his back for the third time. He thrashed against the strong, burly arms of the men who held him down on the kitchen table but was far too weak to escape their grip. They were laughing at him, their bulging eyes wide with excitement as they continued to hurt him. One stabbed his chubby forefinger into the wound, causing Ruki to let out a harsh screech. Tears dripped freely down his face onto the table and seeped into the wood._

" _Aww, poor Little Lord Fauntleroy," the proprietor of of orphanage cooed from across the room. "Does it hurt?"_

 _Ruki sobbed loudly, unable to coherently string any words together. "I….p-please…"_

" _Do it again."_

 _The searing pain stabbed beneath his shoulder blade again, hitting the same place as before. The boy yelled until his voice gave out-_

Ruki let out a gasp as he was forced from sleep, away from the nightmare. He sat up in bed and raised a hand to his forehead, wiping away the perspiration that clung to his skin. The dream had been so vivid, it was almost as if he could feel the pain still throbbing in the wounds on his back. He was trembling, overheating, eyes wide with fear and he had to remind him that was just a dream. The pain had long since numbed and the memory had faded. He tugged the neck of his shirt and threw it across the room so that it landed on the chair near his desk, leaving him clad in his boxers alone. This had never happened before, why were old memories hashing themselves up?

"Um, Ruki?"

He looked over his shoulder - of course, in his panic he'd quite forgotten her presence. Yui looked at him from across the bed with worried eyes. She looked awful, her face was gaunt and pale and her eye sockets were shaded with grey. After feeding from her, the girl had passed out, so he had laid her down on one side of his bed to rest. He didn't think she would wake until the next day at least - he must have been loud. How irritating, he thought.

"Go back to sleep," he ordered, turning away from her.

"You were screaming," she replied, softly.

Ruki looked back at her silently, to see her gaze settled on the jagged scars that ran from his shoulders to his lower back. The vampire felt oddly encroached upon and stood, moving quickly across the room to grab his shirt. He pulled the garment back on, ignoring the damp feeling of sweat when the cloth clung to his torso.

"I don't want to repeat myself," he said, bluntly.

Yui winced at his tone and shrunk away from him. Ruki watched her blankly until she laid her head back on the pillow and turned away from him.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

The vampire stared at the back of her head for a moment longer, listening to the gentle sound of her crying. He sighed inwardly and ran a hand through his hair. Having someone else in his bed felt wrong, it made him uncomfortable. That, coupled with the terrifying dream - no, the terrifying memory - made him shiver. Swiftly, he walked to the door and stepped out into the hallway, gently closing it behind him.

"Yuma," he called, voice hushed. He knew the other vampire would hear him, no matter how low the volume, and soon the larger man appeared at his side.

"Wos' wrong?" Yuma asked, concerned. Ruki never acted like this - he was trembling slightly and his body was drenched with sweat. His sharp grey eyes were wide, as if he were scared of something. Stupid, he thought, Ruki ain't scared of nothing. The dark haired man ran a hand through his damp hair and then moved to pinch the bridge of his nose. Yuma noticed his brother repeated this action whenever he felt stressed - he'd been doing it a lot recently.

"I don't like having her in my room," he murmured, scrunching his eyes together as if trying to force the pain out of his head. "Take her to yours."

"What?" Yuma replied, trying to keep his voice low. "I thought you wanted 'er with you?"

"I know it's annoying. But look, I can't leave her with Azusa or Kou, can I?" Ruki hissed, releasing the bridge of his nose. "Please?"

Yuma frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. "Fine. But you owe me one."

Ruki seemed to relax slightly, his shoulder sinking. "Thank you. Just go in and get her. Try not to make a fuss or the others will wake up."

The larger man sighed and entered his brother's room. He saw the girl sat upright in Ruki's bed. She was squinting in the darkness to see what was happening and she shrunk back against the headboard as she saw him approaching.

"Can you walk yet?" he grunted, scowling at her.

"I- yes. I can walk."

"Good," he replied, turning back to the door. "Follow me."


	16. Chapter 15

_Apologies for the delay._

-0-

Reiji found Shu staring at himself in the mirror. He was still as stone and didn't seem to hear him come in. The bespectacled man moved forward and placed his hand on the blonde's shoulder.

"Shu?" he asked, frowning.

The other man didn't answer, he simply kept staring. Reiji followed his gaze and slowly dropped his hand from Shu's shoulder when he saw the bright gold staring back from the reflection.

"We need to go," Reiji said, taking a step back. Still, the man didn't move. "I thought you wanted to leave with the girl."

The other man's head slowly turned toward him. "Yui...Eve…"

Reiji raised a brow. Though the blonde was usually quiet, there was something odd about his stillness and he moved back a few steps further. "Yes, so come on. We should go back to the Manor."

Shu gasped suddenly and lurched against the mirror, clutching his chest with one hand. He released a loud cry and placed both his hands over his ears. _Hundreds of voice began shouting, tales of different eras, stories, lies, truths-_ Reiji approached him cautiously as he slid down the mirror until his legs sprawled out in front of him on the floor.

"There's too much noise, I can't-" Shu groaned, pulling at his hair.

Reiji crouched and placed both hands on his brother's shoulders in a protective manner - something he had never done before. He was surprised by his actions and convinced himself it was due to impatience, not concern.

"Keep calm, fool. Your body obviously isn't used to the change."

"I thought it had passed," Shu cried, gritting his teeth together. The pain in his head was overwhelming. _Time was ticking forward and back-_

Reiji let out an irritated sigh. "If you had bothered to read any of the history-"

"Not now, Reiji," Shu snapped, squeezing his eyes shut.

"-then you would know that this could take some time. Karlheinz recorded four months until-"

"Four months?!" he exclaimed, opening his eyes again. Across the room, the mirror above the fireplace shattered and shards of glass flew across the floor.

 _Visions of the future, the past, there was too much-_

"Calm," Reiji snapped, shaking Shu slightly. The blonde cradled his head in his hands and moaned in pain. "Perhaps we should remain here for the time being."

"But I - Yui," Shu murmured. _The sounds and sights of an eternity began to burn his mind until-_

Reiji noticed the glass above his head cracking and let out a cry of warning. He reached out and grabbed Shu's arm, pulling him into the centre of the room just before the mirror behind him burst from the frame and stabbed into the floorboards. Reiji released his brother, who stumbled backwards and crash down onto the floor.

"I can't see!" Shu gasped, reaching out his hands. His vision had blurred to the point that he could see nothing but darkness. He touched his face and felt that his eyes were open. It was then he noticed that the voices had grown louder, they were shouting now, desperate for his attention. He clutched his ears and let out a pained growl. "Reiji? Reiji, where are you?"

"I'm here," Reiji replied, kneeling down beside the blonde. "Can you hear me?"

"Reiji?" Shu called again, starting to sound panicked. He attempted to reach out his hands, but drew them back to his skull as pain shot through it again. "Reiji, please!"

The brunette was taken aback by his plea - his brother had never asked him for help before. He'd barely given him a second glance. For a moment longer, he watched as Shu scratched at his skull and searched the room frantically with his blinded eyes.

"I can't see anything!" he shouted, voice cracking. He was panicking to such an extent that he was almost hyperventilating. "I can't hear past this noise!"

 _His Father's voice was quieter than before, but he could just make it out. It told him to calm, that he would learn to clear his mind eventually. But his head was so full, how could he remain calm, how when these shrieks were deafening and he could not see-_

As Reiji hesitantly reached toward him Shu's shouts turned to whimpers and, much to his brother's surprise, the older man began to cry. The bespectacled vampire had never seen him appear so fragile, he almost felt sorry for him. He could sense the immense power radiating from his brother - it would take time for his mind and body to be able to deal with it. To take him outside of the Demon Realm would be a stupid idea - there was no telling what he could do if his mind was this ill at ease.

"We can't leave yet, Shu," he said, quietly. "I'll need to send word to the others to get them here."

He made to stand, but halted when he felt Shu's hand grip his forearm. His brother looked up, trying to search for him through the darkness that shrouded his vision. It was then that Reiji noticed the whites of his eyes - they were stained red, not simply bloodshot but a flat crimson colour. It looked as if they had been bleeding from the inside.

"Reiji, what's happening?" Shu wept. He was trembling so much that he could barely keep his grip on Reiji's sleeve.

The brunette sighed and placed his hand over the one on his arm. He leaned forward and wrapped his other arm around the man's neck, letting him fall into his shoulder. They knelt together; Reiji silent, uncertain of this new feeling of fraternity and Shu crying out painfully into the other man's jacket. The brothers remained in this position until the pain grew too great for Shu and he collapsed, slipping out of Reiji's grip onto the floor. Outside, the air thickened with a strange scent and the sky darkened completely. The Demon Realm seemed to come to a standstill, leaving the two Sakamaki brothers in an isolated bubble of time. Reiji settled his lifeless brother in their childhood bedroom and retired to his Father's study, hoping to gleam further information on their predicament from his writings.

An hour later, his older brother began to scream.

One month passed -

Yuma left Yui alone in his room the night Ruki requested he watch her. He didn't feel comfortable sleeping next to the mortal, not with the prickling thirst drying his throat. Over a month had passed after the girl woke for the first time in Mukami Manor and he hadn't slept in bed ever since. He was too hot in the summer evenings anyway, he would much rather sleep outside. Tonight, as Yui slumbered in his bed, he was stretched out in his garden beneath the night sky. The moon was barely a sliver of silver in the sky and the darkness was punctured only by the small pinpricks of light from the stars. He placed his hands behind his head and rested back against the grass. It was cooler outside, thankfully. The large man often found himself overheating at night and found it near impossible to sleep at these times. Even in the colder months, he enjoyed remaining outside for as long as possible. The air, the sense of freedom; it calmed him, put him at ease.

He stared at the sky, unblinking. Feeling restless, the large man got to his feet and headed out of the vegetable garden into the vast grounds of the Manor. A light breeze ruffled his hair comfortingly, though it did nothing to quell his unease. His mind wouldn't stop turning over the events of the past few days. They had been receiving potential Eves for over a year, what was it about Yui that made him feel so uneasy? It had to be the lingering scent of blood. Ruki had been the only one to taste her at this point to his knowledge, but Kou was evidently craving it so he suspected he had secretly taken some. The idol didn't have a lot of self-restraint and Yuma had noticed that he had been getting more and more irritable. Azusa was too timid to approach her himself and didn't want to encroach on his brother's territory. Yuma wasn't bothered by it at first, but the dry thirst at the back of his throat was beginning to bug him. It was strange, they had been feeding normally. So why the thirst? The vampire closed his eyes as the night's cool breeze washed over him. There had been a gradual change in the atmosphere at the Manor since she had arrived. Azusa more lost in his thoughts that usual, he had barely spoken to his brothers, seemingly busy mumbling to the wounds on his arms. Ruki barely left his room and when he did, he looked dishevelled and tired. Kou was always excitable but now he was downright frantic. At first, Yuma thought it may have been caused by the lack of blood he was ingesting. This notion was proven wrong when he stumbled upon the smaller man circling a bonfire on the outskirts of the grounds. Clearly the man had been drinking too much.

Yuma recognised the smell, that was what drew him toward that area of forest. It was a scent from long ago, it jogged something in the back of his mind - what was it?

"What the fuck is this, Kou?"

His brother turned to face him. In the light of the fire, Yuma saw blood, thick and crusting, all over his mouth and chest. Red stains tipped the fringe that fell in front of his eyes. His usual smile was replaced by an eerily calm expression.

"I was thirsty."

Yuma shoved past him to look at the nofire and then took two steps back, covering his mouth with the back of his hand. "Fucking hell, man, fuck-"

"I was thirsty," Kou repeated, uncharacteristically toneless. He seemed zoned out, almost as if he weren't aware of what was going on around him.

The larger man pulled him closer by his collar and curled his fist into the cloth. He searched the idol's eyes and found nothing but haze. With a disgusted growl, he pushed Kou away, causing the blonde to stumble and fall to the ground. He still didn't make a sound, he didn't even move from his sprawled out position on the grass. Yuma glared at him, furious.

"You're fucking high again, aren't you?" he spat, shaking his head. "This idol party crap is out of control. You're a piece of shit, Kou."

"I was thir-"

"Jeez," Yuma said, looking away from the corpse. Normally he would tell Ruki, but under the circumstances he thought it might be better to simply clean it up and remain silent. He knew that the idol had dropped before, many times, but he'd never gone this far. He'd never torn a person up like this - it turned his stomach to think about the pile of flesh he had just witnessed burning in the fire. It hadn't even seemed human.

"What are you going to do?" Kou asked. His pupils were dilated to the point that the usual sky blue had been eclipsed.

Yuma turned his head and ran a hand through his hair. "We'll wait here 'til the fire dies, make sure it's all - fuck - make sure it's all ash. Then we'll let the wind do the rest."

Kou nodded, his eyes still vacant. The blonde began ringing his hands and Yuma noticed he was grinding his back teeth together. He shook his head and took a seat on the grass next to his brother.

"S'up with you anyway?" Yuma asked, looking down at his hands. Looking anywhere but the flames.

Kou sniffed loudly and wrapped his arms around his knees, bringing them close to his chest. "There's something strange - don't you smell it? Something off in the air. I feel...strange."

"That's because of the drugs, you idiot," he snapped. Yuma drew his legs up to his chest and rested his large forearms over his knees. He understood what his brother meant, the tension in the house had been growing since Yui arrived. Even Ruki had been affected by the scent of her blood. It was overwhelming. He took in a deep breath and stilled when the smoke burned the back of his throat.

That familiar scent. The smell of burning flesh. That's what it was.

"I thought I heard you two."

Yuma leaned back on his elbows and tilted his head to see Ruki looming over him. A grim expression was plastered on his face, shadowed by the flickering bonfire. The grey-haired man was wearing a thick woollen jumper and a pair of dark jeans, the same clothes he had been wearing yesterday.

"Trouble sleeping again?" Kou asked, his tone flat and lifeless. He hadn't even turned to look at his older brother, his gaze remained fixed on the flames.

Ruki took a couple of steps forward so that he was beside Kou. With a deep sigh, he placed his hands into his pockets and stared into the fire. Yuma noticed the dark circles beneath his brother's eyes and the slick sheen of sweat on his face - Kou was right, he looked exhausted. Perhaps Yui's presence had been affecting him more than he was letting on.

"My sleeping habits are no concern of yours," Ruki replied, coldly.

Kou chuckled. It was a strange sound, far from his usual cheerful laugh, but rather hollow and eerie. He turned his head to look at Yuma, eyes large and shining in the firelight. "He's been screaming. I can hear him from my room."

Yuma raised a brow toward Ruki, who glared at Kou. The blonde didn't seem to notice and began to hum softly to himself. It was a pretty tune - Yuma always enjoyed hearing Kou sing, but tonight it seemed off.

"What does 'e mean?" he asked, stretching his arms out to full length so that he was sat upright.

"Nothing."

"Doesn't sound like nothin'."

Ruki let out an irritated sigh. "It's-"

"Don't tell me it's nothin' to worry 'bout," Yuma interrupted, rolling his eyes. "I'm your brother, course I'm worried."

The other man's eyes softened slightly. He let out a breath and ran a hand through his hair. "Since that human has been here, I've not felt quite right. Her blood is strong anyway but after you drink from her - it's maddening."

"'mazing," Kou chimed in, his tone rolling up and down at the same pitch of the tune he had been humming.

Yuma frowned and pushed himself to his feet so that he could walk closer to Ruki. He grabbed his brother's arm and pulled him away from the fire, away from Kou.

"I thought you were the only one who had drunk from her?" he asked, in a hushed tone. When a thought passed through his mind, he released Ruki's arm and turned his head back to the fire, eyes suddenly wide with panic. "Is that her? I'll fucking kill 'im."

Ruki grimaced. "No, she is still in the house, alive. I can smell her from here. I found Kou feeding from her a number of times whilst you were outside. It doesn't seem to have had a good effect on him."

"Yeah, that and whatever else he's taken," the larger man let out a shaky sigh and looked back at his brother. "We should be careful. He seems to be losin' it"

"To be perfectly honest," Ruki began, grey eyes flicking to the floor. "I am struggling."

"What do you mean?" he asked. Ruki was the head of the Mukami family for a reason - he was the intelligent one, the strongest in terms of spirit. Never before had Yuma seen him express any weakness.

"It is taking every ounce of strength not to-" he paused. When he looked back at Yuma, his eyes were showing the same eerie blankness as Kou's. "Her blood makes me feel so powerful. It is strange but she doesn't taste completely human."

"Not...human?"

Ruki nodded, rubbing his hand over his chin. The hollow look in his eyes disappeared when he shook his head. "Strange, indeed. I thought at first that she might have been turned by one of the purebloods."

"That would explain the wound on her neck," Yuma added.

The grey haired man nodded and looked back at the fire. "I thought so too. But her heart is still beating, she doesn't taste like one of us. There is a glimmer of something there, something demonic - but it isn't entirely vampire."

"Then what?" he asked, confused. Kou began humming again, drawing their gaze to his back.

Ruki swallowed thickly, thirst burning his throat terribly. "I'm not sure. But I'm going to have to visit Karlheinz."

Yuma's gaze was fixed on Kou, who was tearing the grass at his side roughly from the ground. "We're going to have to keep an eye on 'im, Ruki. He doesn't have your self-restraint."

"Watch him while I'm gone. Do not let him near her if you can help it," Ruki said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "We don't want another dead Eve on our hands."

-0-

Miles away, in the midst of a dense forest, Ayato, Laito and Subaru were running. At first, they circled the Tower, trying to locate Yui's scent but this venture proved unsuccessful. Laito suggested speaking with their Father which, after much deliberation, they decided was the best idea. Subaru had an inkling that their Father had something to do with all this - Ayato was sure of it. The journey was long, having to travel by foot, rather than teleporting, due to Ayato and Subaru's injuries. The crossing from the Mortal to Demon realm was a strange area, little more than a small stream through the middle of a lonely forest. The stream was soundless and on closer inspection, motionless, simply a silvery barrier separating two very different worlds. From the Mortal side, one could not see the Demon realm. The three brothers approached the river, stopping on the Mortal bank.

"You feel that?" Ayato said, raising a hand to gain his brothers' attention. He turned his head up to the sky and parted his lips slightly. Subaru watched him carefully, whilst Laito stared ahead at the hidden Demon realm.

"Yeah," Laito said, tone unusually grim. "What is that?"

"Can you hear that?" Ayato said, lowering his arm.

The three brothers tilted their heads to the side. There was a gentle echo, coming from the other side of the stream. Even from that distance, even from behind the barrier, they could hear screaming.

"Shu," Laito murmured, softly.

Ayato looked at his brother, frowning. "You think Karlheinz is beating the shit out of him?"

Laito shook his head slowly and raised a hand. The middle twin's eyes gleamed with unexpected intelligence - he had always been fond of the family library and the history of their kind. He stroked the air in front of him and pressed his fingers against some unseen force.

"No, that's not it," he mused. "The barrier feels hot."

"What does that mean?" Subaru asked, impatiently. He rolled his shoulder under his hand and winced in pain. His wounds from the fight had yet to heal, especially after running so far. He glared at Ayato and spat on the ground. "Next time we fight, no teeth."

Ayato grimaced and nodded. He pulled back his jacket to show Subaru his bloody shirt. The wounds were still bleeding through. "Deal."

"It means," Laito smiled and turned to them. "I don't think we will be able to enter today."

"What, why?" Ayato snapped, scowling. "Obviously we have to go through, idio-"

The middle triplet rolled his eyes and pressed his hand forcefully against the barrier. In an instant, a wave of heat pulsed out and sent the three boys to their knees. The heat soon passed, but for a moment their skin felt like it was on fire. Ayato clambered to his feet, his brothers shortly following, each one of them panting roughly.

"W-what the fuck was that?" Subaru groaned, placing a hand over his shoulder. When he drew his fingers back, they were covered in thick red blood. He noticed that Ayato spat a large quantity of blood onto the floor, clearly still hurting.

Laito smiled serenely. "Our Father is dead. The transition period for a new Demon Lord could take a while. Until then, the barrier is sealed."

"Dead?" Ayato repeated. "So-?"

"Shu or Reiji," Subaru replied, running his clean hand through his hair.

"So now what do we do?" the red-head asked, angrily.

Laito waved his hand carelessly in the air and began to walk back toward the forest. He collapsed at the bottom of a large oak and sprawled out on the ground. "Nothing we can do but wait."

"But-" Subaru said, turning to look at the triplet. "How long could it take?"

"No idea," Laito replied, tilting his hat down to cover his eyes. "If Shu even survives. The things I read in Father's works suggested that many have not."

Ayato dragged his hand through his hair and let out an aggravated growl. "This is fucking stupid."

"Well, I guess we have no choice but to wait here," Subaru said, collapsing to the ground beside Laito. "We can't mindlessly search the entire Earth for her. Plus, she could be in the Demon Realm by now"

The red-head grunted, still peeved by their situation. After a moment, he took a seat on the other side of his triplet. Laito chuckled darkly and retrieved a large metal hip flask from his pocket.

"Here," he offered. "Whiskey. Might calm you down."

Ayato took the flask and gave another grunt. He swigged from the cap and handed it across to Subaru, who drank from it gladly.

"Thanks," Subaru muttered. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled packet of cigarettes.

"No problem, you both look like you could do with a drink," Laito laughed. His gaze turned to Subaru's bloody hand. "Have you two noticed you haven't stopped bleeding?"

Ayato and Subaru looked at one another, glancing at their wounds.

"What do you mean?"

Laito shrugged. "It's been a month or so since all that happened. Even wounds caused by another vampire should have healed by now."

"He's right," Ayato said, frowning.

"I have a theory. Give me something sharp," Laito said, pushing his hat away from his eyes. Subaru handed him an hold, plain metal pen-knife. Without hesitation, the vampire swiped it across his palm, drawing blood quickly to the surface. The three of them watched the wound intently but even after Laito attempted to lick it, it remained oozing. "See this is just an everyday object, I should have healed by now."

"What's going on?" Subaru asked, furrowing his brow in confusion.

The middle triplet shrugged again and began to wrap his tie around his hand. "At this stage, I've no idea. But I think it has something to do with our Little Bitch."

-0-

Yui propped up a pillow on the headboard and leaned back against it with a sigh. She hadn't seen any of the brothers today and there was little to do in the Manor. Ruki informed her that she wasn't allowed outside and she wasn't going to defy him for fear of what he would do. Luckily, the Mukami's had a rather large library, so she had holed herself in Yuma's room with a large stack of books. Anything to stop herself from thinking of Shu and how he seemed to have abandoned her.

"Oi, kitten!"

A voice brought her attention away from her book, causing her to jump and her gaze snapped to the boy who appeared next to her on the bed. And there, shadowed by the bedside lamp, was the instantly recognisable cocky smirk, the messy blonde hair. A hand reached up to cup her cheek and she jerked at the contact.

"Daydreaming again? I hope it was about me? " Kou smirked and retracted his hand from her cheek. Yui blinked once, twice, then forced a smile to her face. He was her least favourite of the Mukami brothers. He was difficult to place, switching between personas every other minute. She watched the eye beneath his fringe, praying it would not darken to red.

"Yeah, sorry," she replied, sighing gently and leaning back into the pillows behind her. "Just daydreaming."

"Answer my question," he snapped, irritably. They both leaned back against the headboard, legs identically crossed at the ankle. His head lolled to the side to gaze at her, blue eyes boring into her own. "What were you daydreaming about?"

Yui balked as he winked at her. She closed her book and laid it down next to her "Nothing, Kou."

"Oh, I see, well…" he trailed off, rolling over, so that he straddled her thighs. Yui stiffened and raised her hands to push against his chest, though he didn't move. "Well, what were you reading?"

"Did you want something Kou? I need to get some sleep," she asked, voice shaking slightly with nerves. No, she could be strong, she had to be! Kou stiffened above her at her words for a brief moment, smirk dropping to a stern frown.

"Give me your blood," he replied, tone blank compared to his usually over-the-top exaggeration.

"I'm not-"

A low growl resonated in his chest. "Don't make me ask again."

"No! I need to sleep, K-"

Kou crawled down her legs and pushed himself off the end of the bed, coming to a standing position. The boy glared dangerously at her. "You don't deny Ruki when he wants some."

Yui shook her head and began to protest. Kou flushed a deep shade a red and turned in a full circle, running his hands through his hair. When he faced her fully, a feeling of cold dread swept over her, as his expression was one of pure rage. But still he smirked.

"You're mine, little kitten," he said, smile widening to reveal his fangs. Yui stiffened. It was then she noticed his dilated pupils, his quivering hands - he must have been at a party earlier. She had been made aware of his habits by Yuma - well, she'd overheard them arguing about it in the kitchen. It would be best to act carefully around him in this volatile state, she thought.

"I'm not a possession, Kou. Now please, I need to sleep."

"No, you don't get to order me around! " he screamed, clenching his fists by his side.

She gasped at his sudden outburst, shifting back further into the pillows. He seemed more frantic and agitated every minute. "Kou, please, calm down!"

The room fell into eerie silence as the boy stared at her, now grinning maniacally.

"Come here," he ordered, holding his hand out for her to take. When she didn't move he reached across and grabbed her wrist, pulling her forward so she stumbled off the bed and into his chest.

"Watch out!" she snapped, wrenching her hand from his. The boy frowned and reached up to cup her chin with his hand, long fingers splaying out over the lower half of her face.

"Always this attitude, my kitten," he tutted, smirk pulling at his lips again.

"Get off! I'm not 'your kitten'!" she cried, scowling. He did not release his grip on her head, despite her struggles. "Let go, Kou!"

The vampire growled, the sound echoing deep in his lungs. Panic gripped her when she felt his hands roughly grasp her hips, so she shoved her hands harder against his chest. Kou's jaw clenched as he watched her childish movement, lip curling in anger.

"Don't you dare defy me," he replied, stepping closer to her. "Give me your blood!"

He did not stop advancing until her legs hit the edge of the desk in the corner of the room. A number of metal boxes and papers crashed to the floor, and mistakenly, she turned her head to look at them. He took advantage of this brief moment and span her around, gathering her tiny wrists behind her back and forcing them into one hand. Yui struggled against his grip, opening her mouth to shout, when his other hand snaked around to cover her lips. His fingertips were unexpectedly warm, a contrast to the alabaster skin and cold personality of his exterior. As she let out a muffled cry, Kou pushed her hard, bending her over his desk, crushing her breasts against the cold wood.

"Shh, shh," he cooed, thumb stroking one of her wrists. "Let's play a game."

Yui let out another angry, muffled screech, opened her lips and bit down on those elegant fingers - hard. Kou growled angrily, removing his hand from her mouth and gripping her hair tightly in his fist. He pulled her backwards, bending her neck to look at him in the dim light.

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you," he hissed, words cutting the air like daggers. "You're not in the best position to fight back, Yui, so I would call it quits."

"I said get off! I'm not a possession," Yui retorted, angrily. Kou could be so brattish, especially when it came to her.

"You should be grateful that I want to drink from you, look at you. Filthy human," ground his hips into her backside and smirked to himself. He loved playing with his food. Tonight, driven half mad by the scent of her blood and the chemicals racing through his bloodstream, he felt aggravated. Fuck Ruki, he thought, she belongs to me.

"Kou, stop, let go of me," the girl said, voice saturated with worry.

"You know what, kitten - stop fucking struggling and I'll let you go," he retorted. He pulled the wrists behind her back upward, bending them so far that she cried out in pain.

"Ow- please! Kou, stop!" she screeched, wriggling harder against him. Her backside rubbed against him in her struggle and the boy let out an excited groan. Yui's heart pounded roughly in her chest. Surely he wasn't going to-

"Why are you fighting me?" he hissed.

"What?" she replied, weakly. He chuckled darkly, leaning forward so his chest covered her back and his lips were positioned behind her ear.

"Why is it you're fighting against me - me, the obvious choice for Adam."

"No, no, I'm not doin-" She was cut off when she felt his hand creeping under her nightdress and his fangs at the back of her neck. "Stop, Kou."

"You should be elated. You're going to be the Mother of a new era, my Eve. I am setting you free."

Yui screamed when she felt his fangs roughly pierce into the soft skin above the top of her spine. Kou groaned as her blood filled his mouth, ensnaring every sense. He was obsessed with the taste, the power it gave him was overwhelming. He gripped her thigh, fingers digging in hard enough to bruise. Yui let out a yell and kicked her legs up to try and hit him.

"What the fuck are you doin'?"

Much to Yui's relief, Kou pulled away from her neck and turned to look at the door. He rolled his eyes at Yuma, who stood just over the threshold, fixing his brother with a scowl.

"What does it look like?" he retorted, irritably.

Yuma growled and crossed the room. He grabbed ahold of Kou's collar and dragged him off Yui with ease. He held the blonde's face close to his own. "Ruki told you not to."

"That's just 'cos Ruki wants her all to himself!" Kou snapped, trying to pry the larger man's hand off his shirt. "Get off!"

"It's makin' you go nuts, idiot. Get out," Yuma snarled, pushing his brother toward the open door.

Kou gave his brother a final glare then turned on his heel and left the room, giving a dissatisfied snort on the way out. When the door slammed shut, Yuma turned to Yui and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"You okay?" he asked, frowning.

The girl pulled her nightdress back down and nodded sheepishly. "Yeah, I suppose so."

"Good. Uh, he…" Yuma shifted from one foot the the next, uncomfortably. "He didn't _do_ anything, did he?"

"No, no. He just drank my blood," Yui replied, quietly. She ran a hand over the back of her neck and grimaced when she saw the blood shining on her palm. "I'd better clean this up."

The vampire swallowed thickly as the smell hit his nostrils. He laid a hand on her shoulder before she passed him to head to the bathroom. Yui looked up at him, a pang of fear hitting her. The Mukami brothers hadn't taken much blood from her so far, not nearly as much as the Sakamaki family, but they reacted to it in a similar way. In fact, Kou reminded her of the last time Ayato threatened to drain her. Yuma seemed to be the only one who intentionally stayed away from her when he was hungry.

"Don't," she whispered, before he could speak. She felt him stiffen.

"I was just gonna suggest I heal the wound," he said, softly. He turned her using his grip on her shoulder and let out a sigh when he saw the deep puncture marks . "Looks pretty painful."

Yui froze at the feeling of his calloused fingers smoothing her hair forward over her shoulder. He was surprisingly gentle, considering his great size, and it caused a shiver to run down her spine. The man moved around so he stood close behind her. One hand encompassed her small shoulder and his thumb rested against the curve of her neck. She became acutely aware of how close he was, she could feel his chest skimming her back. When Yui didn't move, he leaned in and pressed his mouth over the puncture marks, lapping at the blood softly. The girl let out a quiet gasp and shivered at the pleasurable feeling, though her mind was flooded with images of Shu. When his tongue slipped into one of the fang marks and her skin began to tingle, she reached up and clamped her hand over his, nails digging in as if she were trying to hold on. Yuma was lost in the taste that invaded his mouth. The feeling, the _power..._ He growled and his other hand gripped her hip, pulling her body back into his. A tear dripped down her cheek.

-0-

Next chapter soon.


End file.
